


Sterek RPs, Part Two

by seekeronthepath



Series: Sterek RPs [2]
Category: Teen Wolf (TV)
Genre: Abusive Parents, Alpha Derek, Alternate Universe - Arranged Marriage, Alternate Universe - High School, Angst, Dating, Derek Gets Therapy, Derek and Scott are Brothers, Disney References, Dom/sub Undertones, Drunk Stiles, Enemies to Friends to Lovers, Established Relationship, Firefighter Derek, Friends With Benefits, Friendship, Humor, Love Confessions, M/M, Mates, Mutual Pining, New Kid Stiles Stilinski, Not Anymore, Omega Stiles Stilinski, Omega Verse, Porn Star Derek, Pre-Slash, Revelation of feelings, Sad Derek, Schmoop, Stiles Stilinski Wants The Bite, Strippers & Strip Clubs, Truth Spells, courting, loner Derek, rating does not lie
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-09-02
Updated: 2015-09-11
Packaged: 2018-04-18 11:45:11
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 10
Words: 21,556
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4704860
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/seekeronthepath/pseuds/seekeronthepath
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A collection of sterek roleplays on omegle. Tagged for each chapter. Let me know if you're one of my collaborators - I'd love to give you the credit you deserve. Capped at ten chapters.</p><p>Ch 1: High School AU; loner Derek; new kid Stiles; no Hale fire (but the Hales aren't fine, either); abusive parents; enemies to friends to dating<br/>Ch 2: Omega-verse; omega Stiles; alpha Derek; Scott and Derek are brothers; mutual pining; courting; light dom-sub undertones; love confessions<br/>Ch 3: Established relationship, poison ivy (via wolfsbane), humour<br/>Ch 4: Friends with benefits, love confessions, guilty Derek, angst<br/>Ch 5: Derek was a pornstar, mates, revelation of feelings, rating does not lie, no actual porn<br/>Ch 6: Friendship,  after season 3B, stripper Stiles, ex-stripper Derek, hints of pre-slash, genderqueer minor character<br/>Ch 7: Drunk Stiles, love confessions, after season 3<br/>Ch 8: Arranged marriage AU, A/B/O/ dynamics, Kate happened, and the Nogitsune, (brief) mention of torture<br/>Ch 9: Friendship, gen, sass, Firefighter Derek, Derek is seeing a therapist, Disney references<br/>Ch 10: Post-3B, get-together, truth spell, discussion of Stiles getting the bite, schmoop</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Rumours

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Stiles is new to Beacon Hills, and he's been asking around about the loner in the leather jacket. Derek doesn't appreciate the attention.
> 
> High School AU; loner Derek; new kid Stiles; no Hale fire (but the Hales aren't fine, either); abusive parents; enemies to friends to dating
> 
> Because this one has parental abuse in it, and thereby the potential to be seriously unfun for some people, I've put a more detailed description of the things that come up in the end notes. Also, there is some uninvited ogling of a minor by an adult - again, details in the end notes.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Derek on the left; Stiles on the right.

Why are you asking around about me? It’s a small town and an even smaller school. Seriously. Just quit it okay? Whatever it’s about.

I'm asking about you because you're interesting. Everyone says something different.

Does it really bother you?

Yes. It really does. And I'm not interesting. I'm just a normal guy. Please stop making people pay attention to me. It's unnerving, disconcerting and unpleasant.

Pshh. Everyone's interesting. The fact that you think you aren't and you don't want attention is interesting in itself

And you acquired that air of mystery all on your own

I have no air of mystery. I hate people. That's it. That's the whole thing. And if that Scott guy tries to pitch you to me one more time, I'm going to punch him.

Aww, man, Scott's been talking me up? He's such a puppy

I didn't ask him to do that, just so you know

I will still punch him.

Yeah, yeah, I'll let him know. His face is crooked enough already.

I don't know how he makes that cute instead of weird-looking

Being cute instead of weird-looking is a talent I'd appreciate

I don't know why you're still talking to me.

You realise this is my way of asking you to fuck off. Right? I don't want to date you.

Yeah, thanks, I'm not that dumb. I'm aware of my universal lack of appeal.

But dating is not the only way humans interact - I'd still like to get to know you

And you've threatened to punch Scott in the face, but haven't threatened to punch /me/ in the face and you're still replying

I will rip your throat out. With my teeth.

Wow.

See, you are utterly failing to make yourself uninteresting, dude

Like, where did you get the idea for that threat? Are you a secret vampire? Do you really love fantasy novels? Do you play D&D or something?

_Normal_ people threaten with things they can actually hypothetically do, like kicking someone in the crotch

Not throat-rending

Do you have special teeth?

You're the one with that blue jeep aren't you?

Yep.

Great. Hope you're not attached.

Wait, what?

Dude, do /not/ touch Roscoe

Roscoe is fucking sacred, okay?

That was my mom's car, do /not/ do anything to my mom's car

Normal enough threat for you, I suppose.

Great. I will leave your car alone, you leave me alone. It'll be great.

No, that's not great

Seriously, punch me in the dick if you have to, do /not/ touch the car

\-----

_5 Days Later_

So. You're the sheriff's kid.

Avoid telling anyone that I was in the station and that I looked like that. And I will keep on avoiding your car.

I solemnly swear that any and all anecdotes, comments, and/or pictures will remain entirely secret

So you see me bleeding and beat up. And you decide that taking a picture is the best way to approach the situation.

Yeah I'm hating that car more and more.

I took a picture as evidence, to help me solve the mystery of Derek Hale. And, let's be clear, you were /already/ being fussed over by multiple adults. I couldn't actually do anything to help.

Also, I suspect if I'd tried, you'd have punched me in the dick, /as per our agreement/.

I never agreed to anything. I was not being fussed over by cops. And it's not a mystery. My dad is an asshole. Pretty well known fact.

shit

You know, no-one actually told me that?

It's a wonder. People love gossiping in this town.

Oh, I heard plenty of gossip. But secret gang-fights apparently beat out shitty home life as an explanation for the way you occasionally show up to school bruised. I blame the leather

The general opinion is that you're a badass

Good to know you fit in oh so well in this shit hole of a town.

Hey! I am not that bad a gossip - I was gathering intel!

This isn't the first time I've changed schools - you have to know who people are, and who people /think/ they are, if you want to negotiate the social hierarchies

I'm not part of any social hierarchy. People leave me alone, I don't destroy the things they love. Simple.

But there's an implied hierarchy there, too. You've set yourself up /outside/ the social structure of our grade, and by doing so you've made a statement about your position relative to the other students in the hierarchies beyond school. In a confrontation between you and Whittemore, /he/ would back down, because you've established that his status is insignificant to you. You've indicated that you're acting on a separate level to everyone else, that their politics are nothing more than bickering, as far as you're concerned.

Jesus. You have issues.

No, I like to analyse shit

Pretty sure you have issues.

Well, actually, yes, but they aren't related to this

Because all that can be simplified by saying - I don't give a fuck. There. That's all the analysing I need.

Never thought a day would come where I liked a cop more than another teenager.

Eh, my dad's pretty awesome

And explanations are always interesting

No they're not.

You should tell your dad that though. Explain to him that I really don't seem like the kind of guy who would file a case against his dad.

Ohhh no. Dad and I have an agreement about these things. I am /not/ getting in the middle of that one.

Also, the way you function within/outside of school hierarchies doesn't necessarily have anything to do with how you act in other places

So basically you're useless to me. Great. Goodbye.

If by useless you mean 'I can't and won't stop my dad from trying to help people', then yes. I'm sorry it bothers you that he's trying to help, but I'm not sorry he's trying.

\-----

_Later_

[Meant for Laura] Staying out of the house today. Don't need to see dad today. And I have to get Isaac to Erica's. I punched his dad. Might get arrested. Stay safe. Love you.

Uh...just letting you know, you sent me something you probably meant to send elsewhere

Fantastic. Forgot you were in the messages folder. Ignore that I guess.

Righto. I assume it was a righteous punching?

Lot of shitty dads in this town.

That sucks. Can I help at all?

If you're seriously worried about the arrest thing, I could put a word in

Erica's is out of town. Apparently Scott is a friend of Isaac's. You could help by calling Scott and asking if the guy can stay the night. And probably the next day.

will do

_[delay]_

Scott says it's fine.

Thanks.

And I don't need you to put in a word. Won't be the first night I spend in jail. I can handle a few cops.

You shouldn't have to, if you were defending Isaac.

When he's ready to talk to the cops. He will. Doesn't need anyone pressuring him to do it.

So you can shut up. But also tell Scott to shut up.

I'll drop it, but Scott makes his own choices. Isaac can persuade him if he wants.

Look, I know I don't understand your situation - yours or Isaac's, I guess - but if you ever need help, ask me. Seriously.

Isaac just got locked in an ice box. Scott can shut the fuck up for a night.

Fuck

And he's not pressing charges?

I'll have a word with Scott

He will when he wants. For now, he just wants to be left alone.

_[delay]_

Dropped him off. Thanks I guess. Scott only asked about mexican food.

Like I told you, he's a puppy. And from what I hear, his dad wasn't perfect either.

They congregate here. Shitty dad convention stopped by here and they decided to stay.

Sucks.

Your dad seems fine. Didn't want to arrest me.

Well duh. He's a decent judge of character, and you're obviously a good guy trying to help a friend.

Man, I am going to have to run so much interference with the comfort foods

He always tries to buy donuts when this sort of shit comes up

He was eating them already.

What's wrong with donuts?

goddammit

He's getting salad for lunch for the rest of the week

His family has a history of heart disease

And his doctor's been giving him the side-eye

If it helps, he only ate one. I got the other one.

It's better than nothing. You should tell him I know and disapprove

I'm not going to do that.

He's going to hear it from me in the next twenty-four hours anyway.

So I'm not going to take a jab at the man.

Pretty sure if you did he'd just start up on a rant about tofu and turkey bacon, but it's your call.

Everyone's treating you okay, though?

Turkey bacon isn't real bacon.

They're cops. I'm sitting on a chair in your dad's office and he's working. Apparently I'm waiting to see if Isaac's dad calls in. Personally I think your dad thinks the man is going to shoot me and so he's making me stay indoors.

Yeah, that sounds about right.

I don't know the department here very well yet, so I figured I'd ask in case any of them were dicks

Thomson isn't great. But that's mostly because he's a little bit of a pervert. Harmless all things considered.

Aw man, really? I hate those guys.

You being nice to look at doesn't give anyone the right to look

Oh, hey, Scott says Isaac's doing fine

He let Ms McCall patch him up, too

She's the nurse right?

Nice lady.

Yeah, she is.

Also. Maybe I like being hit on by older men.

Uh-huh.

Man, I am getting some /vivid/ mental images here

Maybe you and Thomson have something in common then.

Oh, jesus!

Ew!

Derek, no!

There's older men, and then there's /Thomson/

Do /not/

You're funny. Not as terrible as you seem on the surface.

Your dad says to go do your homework.

Code for, stop talking to the criminal teenager sitting in my office. Later.

Tell him to eat the lunch I packed for him. Talk to you later, I guess.

\-----

_Four Days Later_

So. I heard you were upset that your car was missing.

Derek, please don't.

I can't do this shit today

Relax. I found it.

You found it?

Where the hell was it?

What happened?

Doesn't matter. It's at the station now. Drove it there. And it won't happen again.

Derek, you...

Thanks

It's okay, right? No-one did anything to it?

You had a tire with no air. I fixed it for you. That's about it.

Thank you so much

For future reference though. Maybe don't hit on Danny.

Oh, fuck

I wasn't actually serious

His boyfriend is a hot head with very little self control.

Fortunately, he's bullshit at fighting.

Are you okay?

You like analysing situations. I'm sure you can figure it out.

I can guess that you have at least minor injuries, and that you don't think they're significant.

I can't tell, /over the phone/, whether you are going to be fuelling the 'secret gang-fight' rumours tomorrow

Like I said. He's shit at fighting.

And even more shit at hiding cars.

Thank you. That was my mom's car.

You said that last time. Only reason I found it for you.

Not that I went out of my way or anything.

You can pretend it was nothing if you want - I won't reveal your secret do-gooder side to the ignorant masses

Seriously, though, I owe you one.

It's not a do gooder side. I saw it on my run. I overheard you being miserable about it in school. So I drove it over and then went and punched him. Consider it payback for what you did for Isaac. We're even.

If that's how you want it to be

Is Isaac doing alright? He doesn't talk much at school

He's processing things. Now that he's been staying at Scott's, he gets that his dad won't even look for him to come back. And looking at Melissa, I guess he sees what a real parent is like. He's thinking about turning his dad in. But he needs time.

He'd appreciate your general...self. So you could talk to him.

Yeah? Some people find me kind of overwhelming, and I wasn't sure if Isaac would tell me to fuck off if I was bothering him

He doesn't think people want to be friends with him. So. Probably will at first. But you seem to be good at persevering.

I'm not sure that's a compliment.

Thanks for the tip, though. I find him hard to read.

I've been giving him and Scott space, but I guess I'll stop backing off

You should.

And it was one. A begrudging one.

Then I'll treat it as one.

I suppose I should warn you that you shouldn't yell at your dad if you see him today. I was the one who got him the bacon cheeseburger.

What? You fucker!

Fiesty.

And I will, too, yell at him. He's a grown man, he should take responsibility for his actions

Yeah, yeah, asshole

I wanted to say thanks. I can't afford to buy him.. I don't know what else people buy in these situations. But it's clear that you're torturing the man. So I got him a cheeseburger.

No, food is pretty par for the course. He can't accept anything pricey - too much like a bribe. And I'm pretty sure a bacon cheeseburger is just about the best gift you could have given him

Left you something in the car.

Wow, I am /really/ worried all of a sudden

Like, the possibilities range from awesome to horrifying

Yep. I found your car, drove around, located a serial killer and asked him to sit in your car till you come around.

I was leaning more towards murder-ees than murder-ers, but ok

It's a couple of those logic books. For you to nerd out over.

My mom used to be super into them.

Oh, awesome!

Anyone ever tell you that you're predictably dorky?

You know how I was gathering intel so that I could successfully negotiate social hierarchies here?

I did that because I have /un/successfully negotiated other social hierarchies

I've been called a lot of things

Hot nerd isn't the worst name to be called then.

Hot is a pretty good upgrade

I'll tolerate a lot of nouns for that adjective

Christ.

You're a little dense. But alright. Good for you.

Used to be, if I was /really/ lucky, I /might/ get 'cute'

I got a whole lot of 'weird', a lot of 'skinny', and a fair amount of 'pathetic'

Let me ask you something.

Considering my place 'outside' the social whatever, that you were blabbering on about. How do you think I knew about your car? Or your nickname in school?

You're more approachable outside school than you are in it. Isaac's friends with Scott, Erica actually quite enjoys gossip, and when it isn't ruining your reputation, you like to talk to them. They both know that you know me, so I assume they told you

Or maybe I was interested enough to listen. And ask.

And maybe I had no idea that anyone else thought you were a hot nerd.

Please don't be fucking with me right now

You tell me.

No, Derek, I...I've had some bad experiences with people I've liked, okay? Bad, public rejections, being consistently ignored...the first time I got asked on a date it was a bet and they cancelled at the last minute. You're way out of my league, and you've already explicitly turned me down once. So, just...I need you to tell me you're serious.

I would date you if I could.

Simple enough?

Yeah. Thanks. And I imagine it's fairly obvious by now that I'd like to date you too.

Your dad probably won't like it. My old man definitely won't.

I think you underestimate the power of a bacon cheeseburger. I'm pretty sure Dad likes you fine.

You're gonna have to tell me what you need from me with your dad

Don't tell anyone. That's it.

Don't tell anyone that he hurts you, or don't tell anyone we're dating, or both?

We're not dating. Yet. Don't tell anyone we're going on a date. And the other thing too I guess.

And I'm fairly sure there's other things - should I/shouldn't I ever come to your house, are there times I shouldn't text or call, is there a curfew that makes things easier for you, would it be helpful for you to stay at my place sometime, etc, etc

Ok.

We're not getting married Stiles. Relax. It's a date.

Yeah, well, a) inexperienced as shit, b) I'm your friend too, asshole

I haven't asked before because of the weird-ass mixed signals I've been getting, but I've been wanting to know how to make your life easier for a while

Just. Hold up.

I like you because you're funny. And sarcastic. I'm not a project. I don't need fixing. And you don't need to make my life easy.

Of course you don't need fixing, you're awesome

So then stop asking weird questions. I can pick you up tomorrow at 7.

Sorry. I just...I like to help the people I care about, if I can, and understanding their situation is always the first step. But I was pushing too hard, I'll back off. It's your business.

Seven's fine. Should I wear something in particular?

Clothes would be great. Otherwise we might not make it out of your driveway.

Fuck, Derek. You're too good at flirting. It's completely unfair.

I was definitely being serious.

Christ.

Yes, okay, clothes.

I don't have to be fancy or anything?

I don't secretly have a trust fund. So nope.

Good. I get nervous and flaily in fancy places. It usually doesn't end well.

Taking you to the preserve. So wear a hoodie or something. That's it.

Oh, cool. Sounds good.

Nicer than it sounds. I'll get the food. See you.

See you then

_\-----_

_Two Days Later_

Cannot believe you were so fascinated by stars. How have you not see those many stars before. You just have to go a little out of any town.

Most towns aren't directly on the edge of a nature preserve. Also, we've always lived in bigger towns.

You mean you're a giant dork who squeals at stars.

I refuse to suppress my enthusiasm for something because of social pressure to be indifferent. Stars are awesome.

and don't even try to tell me you don't agree - you spent a solid half hour pointing out constellations for me

Because you are so easily impressed.

And I wanted to make out with you. It worked.

pretty much anything would've

You implying you're easy? Maybe I shouldn't have taken you back home.

I'm implying that I really wanted to make out with you. Was it not obvious?

I had a surprisingly good time.

I'm glad I could entertain you

does that mean I get a second date?

Means you're going to have to talk to me for a long time. And probably date me.

that sounds pretty perfect

You can tell Scott. But try and keep quiet about it.

you'd rather I didn't, though, wouldn't you?

Don't care. I'm telling Isaac.

that makes me feel better about telling Scott, I'll admit

_[delay]_

man, he is going to get so over-invested in our relationship

I will probably still punch him. Even if he's your friend.

apparently we're amazing for each other and he's been rooting for us since the beginning, and he wants to know what we're doing for the second date

I literally just said, 'Derek agreed to a second date with me. Don't tell anyone.'

I'm starting to wonder if he's living vicariously

Did something scare him off the dating scene or something?

I guess you wouldn't know

I think you're forgetting who you're talking to. How would I know.

Ask Erica.

I probably will. It's just that he seems to really like the /concept/ of dating, but he doesn't seem to be looking /at all/.

Sorry. I know you don't care about Scott.

I don't hate the guy.

Yeah, but you divide the population in your head into people you hate, people you're vaguely suspicious of and prefer to avoid, and people you protect.

You don't hate Scott, but he's friends with me and Isaac, not you

Close. But it's people I hate, people I don't want to kill, and you.

That's really sweet, in a murderous kind of way

Thanks babe.

But talk to Erica.

Okay. Thanks for the tip.

\-----

_Later_

so apparently we live in verona

I don't know what that means Stiles.

Why are you referencing Romeo and Juliet.

Two households, both alike in dignity, in fair Verona, where we lay our scene

Stiles. Just spit it out.

decades-old family feud

Erica told me about Scott's girlfriend today

the one he fell dramatically in love with at first sight, but was driven out of town because of the long-standing hatred between her family and your family, and the town, as a whole, tends to side with the Hales

it's not a perfect analogy

anyway, Scott doesn't date because he's still hung up on Allison Argent

Ah.

Simple explanation. Her aunt Kate killed my mom. One thing me and my dad agreed on. So yeah. They left town.

shit

Erica didn't tell me that bit

I'm sorry, that sucks

I know 'sorry' doesn't help

Wasn't great. My younger sister Cora lives with my older sister Laura now. They're not in town. Court gave my dad custody of me. Lucky me.

I'm not going to apologise for Allison Argent. That family is poison.

No, that's totally fair. It's obvious Scott doesn't blame you, so there's no way I would.

Is Laura who you were texting that one time?

Yeah. Hopefully you can meet her one day. She'd like you.

Really? I'm glad. I'd like to meet her, too. What's she like?

She's. I don't know. She's my sister. She's great. Works as an editor or something. Cora is in the 8th grade. I haven't seen them in a while.

You're spaced pretty far apart, then. Sucks that you haven't been able to visit.

What's it like, having siblings?

Can we not talk about this?

If that's what you want.

I didn't realise it might be a sore spot.

I think you should be my boyfriend.

I'd really like that.

And you should tell your dad.

I'd /really/ like that.

Could I bring you over for dinner, maybe?

I'll tell him first, but he'll want to meet you properly, I'm guessing

He already likes you

If I come to dinner. Can I blow you after?

With my dad in the house?

I can sneak back in.

Jesus Christ, you're going to be the death of me

Many, many little deaths

That's a yes then.

Great. See you at dinner whenever you want.

That's /definitely/ a yes, blowjobs are awesome - at least hypothetically, I can't actually speak from experience

You can, soon enough.

Fuck.

Pick a day when you don't have lacrosse practice. Don't need you to even more sore.

You are...evil.

If we do Thursday, you can come over for early dinner before Dad goes on shift and we can have the house to ourselves later

Fantastic.

I guess I'll let him know

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yet more RPs! Credit for the prompt and for Derek goes to my collaborator on this one - it's pretty long, too. There are some long ones in this batch: I have plenty of transcripts, but formatting takes time. 
> 
> For those who skipped to the end: Derek mentions showing up at the police station bruised and bleeding, and implies his father is to blame; he talks about avoiding his father, and wants to keep his relationship with Stiles secret; he says he's not willing to press charges against his father; Derek mentions Isaac being shut in a freezer by his father, and Isaac being unwilling to press charges. I think that's all. On the topic of ogling: Derek says that Thomson (a cop) is 'a little bit of a pervert', and implies that Thomson is fantasizing about him; he is not distressed, and says that Thomson is 'harmless, all things considered'; Stiles implies that Thomson is much older than both of them.
> 
> I hope you all enjoyed it!


	2. Rumours

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Stiles is an omega, and his claiming ceremony is coming up. His best friend's brother Derek is an alpha, and Stiles desperately wants Derek to pick him, but he knows it isn't going to happen.
> 
> Omega-verse; omega Stiles; alpha Derek; Scott and Derek are brothers; mutual pining; courting; light dom-sub undertones (typical of a/b/o fics); love confessions.

I'm so sorry! It seems that I lost this one somewhere. I'd post it if I still had a record, but apparently I don't. :(

(Thanks to 1stBonesFan_is_SterekGirl and baziafsun for pointing it out.)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Many thanks to my collaborator for Stiles and for the prompt. This was delightful.
> 
> Hope you enjoyed it!


	3. Itching

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Stiles really should have washed his hands before having sex with Derek. Now Derek's got wolfsbane all over him, and he /itches/.
> 
> Established relationship, poison ivy (or its wolfsbane equivalent), humour

I'd appreciate it if, in future, you'd /wash your hands/ in between messing around with wolfsbane and /having sex with me/

 

Oops...

You didn't say anything when it happened. Are you okay?

I was a little distracted at the time

I didn't notice until I started to get a rash about half-an-hour after we finished

Think poison ivy

Dear god. Can I get you some ointment or something?

You tell me. I don't even know what kind of wolfsbane it was

And we covered up the scent so thoroughly that I'm only assuming it's wolfsbane because I don't know what else it could be

It was wolfsbane. I'll get something from Deaton.

I'm really sorry. I didn't even think of it. I just went straight to you after I practiced emissary work with Deaton.

Yes, well, please don't do it again

I love you, but this is /really/ unpleasant

I left some calamine lotion at your house from the last time we went hiking. Maybe that'll reduce the itch for now.

_[delay]_

Actually, that helped

I didn't think it would

The wonders of calamine. My mom used to use that stuff for literally everything.

By the first week of school, I'd be covered in pink splotches from that stuff. My mom used it for bug bites because of my tenancy to scratch.

I look completely ridiculous right now, just so you know

But it feels nice, doesn't it?

I'm picking up some more along with a concoction Deaton made up for you.

Thank you

I really hope it works

The lotion helps, but it doesn't entirely fix the problem

It also smells

You shut your pretty mouth. Calamine lotion is the smell of my childhood. Embrace the chalky scent.

None of me is pretty right now

It could smell worse, I suppose

But you are sexy, so there's that.

That's the spirit.

Right now, I really, really don't want to think about sex

Please don't tell me you have a rash on your dick.

Guess

I know it's my fault but I can't take you seriously now.

/I/ can't take me seriously now

I'll give you an ointment handjob if it makes you feel better?

Ointment, then handjob

/If/ it works, /and you wash your hands/

Normally I love how much you like to touch me, but I am covered in rash and pink

Everything is awful

Good thing I had Deaton make a shit ton of this stuff. It smells like a Lush store, so you have that to look forward to.

Right, when I get there I'm washing my hands before anything else.

You should start the Pink Man Group.

No

Fair enough.

I'm not going to do anything but stand here and pretend I don't itch

Lucky for you, I'm just outside. Let me in.

Could you let yourself in, please? Pants are uncomfortable

I feel weird answering the door naked

And pink

You are just a wreck, aren't you?

Stand back, you big baby.

 

Stiles shoved open the door to Derek's loft, a paper bag in hand and his backpack slung over his shoulder. He pulled the door shut and let his backpack fall to the floor. He looked around the corner to find Derek naked in the kitchen, covered in pink splotches. Stiles couldn't help but snort, "I did not ever imagine I touched you that much.."

Derek glared petulantly. "In this circumstance, yes, I would prefer that the phrase 'his hands were everywhere' was a bit less literal." He itched. His hands itched, his face itched, his abs itched, his back itched, his thighs itched, his ass itched, and his dick itched. He was trying very hard to concentrate on his blissfully non-itchy feet. It wasn't really working. "I'm just glad we didn't actually fuck."

"I was actually a little bummed we cut it short, before. But now, for your sake, I'm glad. Go lay on the couch. I'm going to wash my hands," Stiles said as he rolled up his sleeves and washed his hands in the kitchen sink. Once his hands were dry, he grabbed the large tub of ointment Deaton gave him. He went over to the living room and set the tub on the coffee table, scooping some of the ointment into his hands and began massaging it into Derek's back. "Deaton said you should feel immediate relief."

"Thank fucking god," Derek groaned. For once, Deaton's advice was succinct, to the point, and accurate. That felt /so/ much better. "Oh, jesus. Fuck. I was starting to think I would itch forever." He stood in more-or-less silence for a minute or so as Stiles worked his way downwards. "We are never telling anyone about this, just so you know," he said firmly, as Stiles reached the small of his back. "Never."

Stiles laughed a little as he went even lower, massaging Derek's glutes, "Nope, never telling anyone I got to massage my boyfriend's ass." He got more of the ointment and applied it to Derek's arms and neck. "Man, horny me gets in all the nooks and crannies."

"As I said on the phone, normally I love how much you like to touch me," Derek commented. "Today it's the worst, but normally it's great. It was good sex, too, which makes it, retroactively, even worse."

"Turn around, big guy," Stiles mumbled. Once Derek had followed orders, he continued the same way as the back, from top to bottom. Stiles avoided Derek's crotch as he massaged his thighs, asking, "Would you like me to do the honors, or would you like to do it yourself, as previously requested?"

The sheer relief of the lack of itching - even if the ointment did smell - had Derek collapsing onto one of the kitchen stools, muscles lax. "Whatever," he replied. "I just want to stop itching. /God/ it feels good to not be itching."

"Aren't you the romantic? Getting your younger gentlemen friend to give you a handjob in the name of good will," Stiles grinned, sarcasm dripping. He wrapped a slick hand around Derek's cock and stroked, making sure the ointment was applied well.

Derek's knees weakened - if he wasn't already sitting down he might have fallen from the combined relief and arousal. "Fuck," he gasped. "Well, it's, only fair...considering."

"Perfectly reasonable," Stiles agreed, stroking Derek to completion. He leaned up and kissed him, then made a face. "Ugh, that tastes horrible."

Derek sighed happily. "I don't even care."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This was /so much fun/. Thanks to my excellent anonymous collaborator for Stiles - let me know if I can give you credit by name.
> 
> Hope you all enjoyed it!


	4. (Not) Just Sex

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Derek and Stiles have been having sex for a while. Just sex. Really. Then Stiles blurts out his feelings, and it all goes to hell for a little while.
> 
> Friends with benefits, love confessions, guilty Derek, angst
> 
> Warning: lots of perseveration over the Derek/Kate thing in this one.

Oh my god. Scott, oh my god, mayday, mayday, 911.

_What? What's wrong?_

I told Derek I loved him.

_You what?_

_Seriously?_

We'd just, you know, gotten done, and we're just laying there and I just...blurted it. And he didn't say anything, he just got all rigid and stared at me and I panicked and fled.

_Dude! You ran away?_

He looked HORRIFIED

_Aw man, that sucks._

I had one job. ONE job, to keep it just sex. He said just sex, and I said I could handle it. And then I was an idiot teenage kid stereotype and got all...heart eyes.

_To be fair, I never actually believed it would stay just sex._

I thought I could handle it. I thought...I knew I liked him, but I figured this was all I could have, and I could be okay with that.

_I still think that's stupid._

Apparently.

_You've been setting yourself up to get hurt, bro_

And here it is.

_It'll work out eventually._

Yeah, next time I see him he'll give me the 'let you down easy' talk.

_That sucks._

_Seriously though, you've accused the guy of murder before and he still likes you - things will sort themselves out_

And we'll go back to being just friends

_The sex was hurting you, dude_

_I mean, sex is awesome and I know you wanted it, but it was making you sad_

But now I /know/. I know what it feels like to kiss him and hold him, I know what his face looks like when he comes or when he's sleeping. I know what it's like and it's going to kill me

_I told you this was a bad idea_

_But seriously, you need to talk to him_

I don't know what to say

_Tell him you weren't planning to say that, and you're sorry you did, and you meant it but you don't need him to reciprocate_

_Which I still think is bullshit. You deserve someone who cares about you._

_But I know he's what you want._

He's all I want.

_Jesus, Stiles._

I know, I'm pathetic.

_I'm pretty sure I've been worse_

Yeah, that's true

_Seriously, talk to him._

...okay.

_Good luck, bro. Tell me if I need to beat him up for you_

Thanks, man,

\-----

Derek? Can we talk?

[delay]

**If we must.**

Look, I'm sorry about what I said. I wasn't...it sort of just came out.

I meant it, but you don't need to reciprocate, okay? I'm fine.

**I don't understand _._**

...what don't you understand?

**Why?**

Why...what?

**Why...love me? Why stick to just sex if you do?**

**Why did you leave?**

I thought...I thought I could handle it. I thought that's all I could have, and I was willing to...take what I could get, with you.

I left because you looked like I'd just said something horrible, and you weren't saying anything and I got scared.

**You shouldn't love me.**

Why not?

**I'm not worth it.**

What? Derek, of course you are.

You're amazing.

**It's nice of you to say so, but I'm not**.

Yes you are. You're brave, and strong, and smart, and kind, and loyal, and you're just...you're good, Derek.

**That's you, not me**

**I just fuck everything up**

Mm, no, that actually sounds like me.

Shit starter.

**You mess with things, but in the end you make everything better**

So do you

**I really don't**

**I've ruined almost every good thing I've ever had**

No you haven't, Der...

**I killed Paige, I killed my family**

**You have no idea how hard it was for Laura to deal with me after the fire**

**I wonder sometimes if she'd have let me come back with her if I wasn't such a shit**

Don't say that.

You didn't kill your family, Derek, Kate did. That was KATE's fault, no one else's, definitely not yours.

**I loved her. It feels like mine.**

**I can still remember loving her, you know**

**Some of my worst nightmares start off as good dreams**

I know, Derek. But that's not your fault. She manipulated you.

**Yeah, well, I was a gullible idiot.**

You were a sixteen year old boy

She made you think she loved you

**She was my whole world, Stiles**

**I remember that feeling**

**Every day, I'd just be waiting to see her, to talk to her**

I get it. I know that feeling, Derek  Being in love isn't wrong.

**It's wrong when it kills people**

You loving her didn't kill anyone

Her not loving you did

**I thought I loved everything about her, even the parts I hadn't seen yet**

**I thought I could tell what they'd be like, that they would be loved by me**

It's not your fault, Derek

**For a year afterwards I couldn't deal with the dissonance of it**

**I'd dream about her and wake up hard, and then I'd remember**

I hate her for what she did to you.

**I'd dream about sitting next to her, leaning up against her, watching my family burn like it was a sunset.**

**Laura had to force me to eat**

**The first full moon after she had to fight me down**

**I didn't have anything human to cling to that wasn't confused and angry**

**I found a note from her at the bottom of my bag about six weeks after we left and nearly threw up**

I'm sorry. I'm so sorry.

**Because I could remember when I got it, why I kept it**

**'See you soon, sweetie!'**

**I used to love it when she called me that**

**It used to make me feel special**

**Like I mattered, like she fucking /cared/**

Why are you telling me this?

**Because me loving someone has never been anything but a disaster**

Derek, that's not you. That's not because of you. There's nothing wrong with you.

**What about Paige?**

**Loving her got her killed.**

No, Peter putting bad ideas in your head got her killed.

**And Aaron, in New York? Just when I thought it was safe, he went and proved it wasn't**

**He nearly /died/ Stiles, just because he thought he'd drop by on the full moon**

**And I was too out of control to recognize him**

**I know he still has scars**

**If it wasn't for the fact I'm doing penance here, I'd hide in the woods and never talk to anyone**

**It would be safer**

**You want to know why you shouldn't love me?**

**Because I'm only ever the hero of tragedies, and my fatal flaw is my heart.**

...Derek

Derek, that's not how it works.

Sometimes people get hurt, but unless /you chose/ to hurt them, it's /not your fault/.

I've loved you for years, Derek, and you haven't hurt me.

You've saved me, over and over again.

**Please, Stiles, I...please let this go**

Derek, I can't.

I can't bear to see you hurting like this.

Just...let me love you. Please?

You don't have to do anything, we don't have to change anything.

Just let me love you. I promise, it will be alright.

**I don't think you can promise that.**  

I can, Derek. I will /make it happen/.

We all know I'm a stubborn bastard

It's going to be okay.

[delay]

**...okay.**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Credit to my collaborator for Stiles and the prompt.
> 
> Hope you enjoyed it!


	5. Rule 34 also applies to werewolves. (Derek would prefer that it didn't.)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The porn industry has some /weird/ ideas about werewolves. As it turns out, some of them are because werewolves are weird.
> 
> Note: The rating does not lie. There is no porn in this fic. Only the porn industry.
> 
> Derek was a pornstar, mates, revelation of feelings

Scott tells me you've found the werewolf corner of tor.com

 

maybe

That's, somehow, more concerning than a "yes".

if you think I haven't discovered 98% of what the internet has to say about werewolves by now, you're kidding yourself

Scott says the last 2% is wereporn.

hah. no. the last 2% is in another language, very old, or very new.

wereporn is about 40%, and I'm plenty familiar with it

How "familiar"?

wellll...

enough to know what all of the biologically-highly-unlikely-but-werewolves tropes are

I assumed Scotty would have called me in a panic by now if he had a knot, though, so I've discounted most of it

He's a werewolf that was turned by the bite. So that would be strange.

oh my god

Look. I had a point here.

well, don't let that /stunning revelation/ distract from your point

Stop watching werewolf porn.

my porn consumption is between me, myself, and my right hand, thank you very much

and all the best wereporn is written, not visual

Stiles. You will notice there was no "please" or "?" in that text.

I did notice, but I'm accustomed to your rudeness

I don't actually have to do what you say just because you tell me to

I am, of course, willing to listen to reason /if you give me reasons/

I don't care what you read. But stop watching werewolf porn. That's my reason.

you really need a dictionary

and you're just making me curious now

For once in your life just do as you're asked.

where would be the fun in that?

I won't rip your throat out?

how about this - /either/ I stop watching wereporn, /or/ I stop /asking/ why wereporn bothers you

we all know your bark is worse than your bite by now, Derek, or you'd have killed me at least twice

I count four times. But that's not the point.

How much explanation are you going to demand?

enough for me to know why my private porn consumption has any effect on you, and why you want me to stop

I will give you one answer and one question. Deal?

fine

There is a finite amount of werewolf porn. I am in some of it.

holy shit

I really want to see that now

No.

I mean, it obviously bothers you, so I won't

but holy shit

my brain is kind of exploding right now, in all the best ways

I'm totally serious, though, I won't watch any of your stuff

promise

Good. Are you also forgoing your one question?

No, just...there's so many to choose from, and like I said, splodey brain

Take your time. You have about 30 seconds before I turn my phone off and try to bleach this conversation out of my mind.

okay...in porn (text and film), there are certain tropes about werewolf reproductive systems, instincts/kinks (necks, biting, etc), and relationships (mate bonds and so on). what's true? (alternatively, where can I get the best representation of what's true, if you really don't want to tell me.)

(please note that I avoided any and all questions about the porn industry and your involvement in it. I think I should get credit for that.)

Credit given where credit is due.

A lot of the instinct stuff is true. More so for natural born wolves. There's some variation on what an individual likes and what the 'kinks' mean. (Some people see biting as affection, others see it as a show of force. ) Bonding is a thing, mates are a thing, they are not the same thing.

There used to be a studio called Blue Moon that did reasonable stuff. Mostly accurate representation and good ethics. They're closed but you can still find their videos.

You're allowed to watch anything with their logo, I guess.

thanks

it's not just that I'm curious, you know

voyeuristic or some shit like that

I don't care why you watch it, Stiles. I don't even care you watch it in general. I just don't want you stumbling on anything you don't want to see.

thanks for the thought, I guess

It's obviously not just for your sake?

Any more questions? I don't mind answering so long as it's not about me.

I'm torn between asking about organisations deliberately employing real werewolves and ways the supernatural gets hidden in plain sight, and asking more about mates and so on.

I guess the second one

information on mates is really confused and varied

predestined or not, unchangeable or not, wolves only or wolves and wolves to humans, sealed by a bite, sealed by fucking, sealed by feelings and relationship development

Predestination is debated. Wolf/wolf, and wolf/human both happen. Nothing seals it. With both mates are wolves they sometimes bond, but usually it's just...a kind of relationship with some intense bonuses.

so 'mate' is a term like, I don't know, 'spouse' or 'partner', with a few differences because at least one person involved is a wolf, and bonds are where the weird shit gets involved?

It's more like the idea of 'soulmates'. With more weird werewolf shit. You can think of bonding as werewolf weddings... In a way. Mates almost always end up being a bonded pair, but not all bonded pairs are mates.

so there are, what, marriages of convenience? Obviously no-one in our pack is bonded yet - unless it's a private thing? but you said it was like a wedding - but would Boyd and Erica, for example, be considered mates?

Sometimes you don't find your mate. Sometimes mates... don't match up. As for Erica and Boyd... I don't know. You'd have to ask one of them to be sure. There's no way to tell.

that sounds really frustrating. is it at least obvious when you /do/ find your mate? how would you know?

Yeah. It's obvious. It's 50% feeling safe and "right" around them, 50% being punched in the chest.

you sound like you speak from experience - did it not work out for you?

_[delay]_

I don't exactly have a good track record with that kind of thing.

you have appalling luck, but it's not your fault evil people keep messing with you

shit, it wasn't Paige, was it?

_[long delay]_

No. It wasn't Paige. I loved her - But she wasn't my mate.

oh wow, that was a really awful thing for me to ask. because, on the one hand, I'm happy your mate isn't dead, but on the other hand, it's really shitty to treat Paige like she and her relationship were any less important because you weren't mates. sorry. dick move.

Don't worry about it, Stiles. Your handling of it wasn't the worst I've come across.

'not the worst'. I'll put it on my tombstone.

It suits you.

yeah? what do you want on yours?

If I got to choose? "Managed to not ruin something."

fits the theme, I guess. it doesn't do you justice, though

Probably won't end up true, either.

I'd protest, but I don't want to jinx things. let's just say that right now, you're doing a whole lot of things right

I'm housing Isaac again. That's good.

Probably.

I think he ate better at Erica's place.

yeah, but he hated the fussing. her parents had no idea what to do with him

he's really glad to be back with you

Really?

yeah, of course

he felt like he was intruding at Scott's and Erica's

but you built a household with him from the ground up

he doesn't just respect you, he cares about you a lot

I guess he would feel more at home here. He has a room that was labeled "Isaac's room" on the floor plan.

yeah...and I have a hunch that you remind of Camden a bit, you know?

not a father figure, but an older brother figure

I'd put that on your tombstone, actually: "Made a family for the lonely, a haven for the frightened, a home for the lost"

"Bit a girl with epilepsy".

_[delay]_

But I get the idea and... It's nice of you to say that.

that's what pack is, isn't it?

Ideally. That's what it's supposed to be.

we're getting there, you know. right now it's a bit lilo & stitch, but we're getting there

I don't know if Boyd or Erica or Isaac can understand how terrifying it was at the beginning

when there wasn't any kind of pack structure, just half a dozen untrusting people with half the puzzle pieces they needed

It's going to be a long time before we really recover from that.

As far as alphas go, I've seen better.

in their first few years of alpha-hood, though, in unstable territory?

you got pretty much the worst start possible, and yeah, you made some shitty choices that I disagree with, but it was obviously with the best of intentions, and your underlying motives have always been good

also, you've seen worse

you and I and Scott have /definitely/ seen worse

You need to stop saying nice things to me.

I'm pretty sure the opposite is true

you need to hear more nice things

I volunteer as tribute

You're going to give me a big head.

I'm not going to stop telling you off when you're being a dumbass. but one of the ways you're a dumbass is by devaluing your importance to the rest of us.

Isaac would starve, you wouldn't have anyone to ask about werewolf junk, Erica would never be on time to school ever again...

the others would go moon-crazy, there's be so many recriminations the pack would probably split again and we'd end up with omegas, social services would start looking into Isaac's living situation, Boyd would sink back into the background, Scott would try to take up responsibility but be unable to hand the necessities of grey morality, the squabbling would probably convince Chris that we couldn't be trusted regardless of what Allison says, Jackson and Scott would start getting into dominance fights, and I would be sitting on the side trying to help but no-one would listen to me, and eventually I'd get taken out by some hunter or monster of the week because you weren't there to save me just in time.

like I said, you're important

You've... thought about this differently then I have.

I'm a planner, a strategist. I'm always thinking about contingencies. I'm also something of a catastrophiser when I get anxious, so.

Care to elaborate?

Laura had friends in this pack in Maine. A pair of mates that were part of the only pack in that area. Most of the state was their territory and they ran alone most of the time. She thought I should get out of NYC for a while, so I ended up living with them for a while.

that sounds really interesting

why do you mention it?

It was a weird pack, with a weird dynamic. It didn't last.

But they...worked. They were mates so it makes sense. But it was weird to watch. Blessing would just /know/ what her mate needed to hear. She'd break dead silence by turning to him and telling him something he obvious needed to hear.

He'd do the same for her. It's something mates do, I guess. Understand each other.

was it that way with yours?

_[delay]_

Sometimes. My bond with my mate isn't as strong as theirs. I keep a distance.

they don't mind?

sorry, I'm distracting you, you were going somewhere with that

Not as far as I can tell.

They were always thinking about each other. Pointing out the best, or saying the right thing.

You wanted to know about mates. I thought of it is all.

it sounds kind of disconcerting to be around

They had an unusually strong bond. And they didn't really care if there were other people around, to be honest. Both were anti-social by nature. They took me in because Blessing owed Laura a favor.

a lot of this sounds, well, really great. I know I'd love to that kind of support, a relationship I could rely on like that. why did you and your mate agree to be more distant?

We didn't agree, per say.

did they tell you to fuck off or something?

sorry, I guess that's kind of personal.

It's fine.

They haven't told me to fuck off yet.

but you think they will?

I've decided not to find out.

you haven't told them?

you aren't even going to try?

That is 100% right.

see, this sort of thing is why I said you don't value yourself enough

because I'm fairly sure that your reasoning goes something like: my relationships have all been fucked up; I'm the common factor, therefore I fuck up relationships; being in a relationship with me is bad; telling my soulmate who they are will make their life worse even if it temporarily makes my life better

which is stupid and wrong, by the way

It sounds like solid reasoning to me.

it's missing some important information

Peter was to blame for what went wrong with Paige

she-who-must-not-be-named was to blame for what went wrong with /her/

Jennifer/Julia was to blame for what went wrong with Jennifer/Julia

obviously I don't know about any of your relationships outside BH, but you know what common factor I see here: none of those relationships failed because of you

I haven't had relationships outside of Beacon Hills. Unless you're counting the videos you are not going to watch.

Look, it's not that I don't see your point...

but?

But I don't think I can handle you being wrong.

 ...that's fair.

well, if you ever change your mind, I'm envious of whoever they are. they're getting a pretty awesome deal.

_[long delay]_

would you seriously be jealous?

I'd try to be envious, rather than jealous, but yeah

I know you have a DADT policy about, uh, personal scents, but I'm pretty sure it's perfectly obvious by now that I think you're hot

and if you've been paying attention to this conversation /at all/, I think you'd be able to tell that I like a lot of things about you, and I respect you and trust you

You're my mate.

No.

Wait.

That's not how I meant to say that.

...how did you mean to say that?

seriously, Derek, I'm trying really hard not to spaz out on you right now and to give you space to say what you need to say in the way you want to say it, but I'm kind of in shock a little bit and I need you to be clear about what you mean

I feel I was pretty clear.

Terrible.

But clear.

I just- I meant to say it /better/.

okay. and you're, you're telling me because...I changed your mind somehow?

It seemed like a much better idea a minute ago.

Now I'm remembering all the reasons it's not.

I'd offer to pretend it never happened but I don't know if I can

You're sure?

that we can't ignore this? yes. that we have to talk about it? Yes. that we have to have a relationship? I think that's something we should talk about.

I kind of feel like you got the short end of the stick, to be honest

What?

well, you're this alpha werewolf, with an impressive (if currently unstable) territory and a growing pack, independently wealthy (even if you don't choose to use it much), /literally/ porn star hot, smart, an actual adult...

I'm scrawny and weird-looking and hyper and strange, I obsess about weird things, I'm anxious enough to give myself panic attacks, I'm human and uncoordinated as fuck, so I'm a liability in battle unless I'm being bait, I'm a teenager with very little life experience and absolutely no dating experience, and my knowledge of the supernatural world you grew up in is both limited and probably at least twenty percent wrong

I'm not exactly a catch

I like how you look. And I like who you are. Faults and weirdness and all. That's... how this works, Stiles.

I feel like, considering I didn't get a dramatic psycho-physical moment of feelings-validation, I'm justified in still having self-esteem issues

Your self-esteem issues don't change the fact you're my mate.

But I can see your point.

my self-esteem issues aside...you're the one with relationship trauma, and you're the one who's /currently/ most invested in our relationship (not that I won't get more invested very quickly, but you've known we're mates for ages), so I feel like you should get the most say in figuring out what we do next.

because I am open to a very wide spectrum of relationship upgrades, here, but until fifteen minutes ago, you didn't want any of them

...We're going to have a relationship?

we /already/ have a relationship, Derek. It's called friendship.

we're also pack-mates.

You know what I mean, Stiles.

that's exactly what I'm saying, Derek: I am open to us keeping our relationship the way it is, or changing it in a lot of ways (so long as we don't lose what we've got) which may or may not - depending on what you want - involve more physical closeness, involve kissing and sexytimes, involve dating, involve romantic affection, involve sharing something of the nature of our changing relationship with members of our extended pack, involve long-term hopes or expectations...

I'm asking you what /you/ want right now

...You're right. You're pack, and my friend. I wouldn't trade that for anything. I want you to be safe and happy. That's why I didn't tell you.

But - if you want - I'd like to add a lot of those things you mentioned.

then let's try

Let's try...

I haven't done any of this before...to be honest, as much as I'm looking forward to future awesomeness, I suspect it will be better for us both if we start at the beginning instead of jumping into the middle right away. Dating, I guess?

You're weirdly smart for someone who pegs themselves as a dumb teenager.

How about I make you dinner and you can force me to watch a terrible sci-fi movie?

Thanks. To be honest, that sounds perfect.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks to my anonymous collaborator for the prompt and for Derek's lines. Writing about porn with no porn - surprisingly awesome.
> 
> Hope you enjoyed it!


	6. The Lipstick Is Traditional

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Stiles saw Derek in a strip-club. Neither of them were there to watch the strippers.
> 
> Friendship, pre-slash, after season 3B, stripper Stiles, ex-stripper Derek, hints of pre-slash, genderqueer minor character
> 
> Once again, a fic that is kind of about sex, without ever being about sex. It /might/ deserve an M rating though - let me know if you think I need to change it?

Hi! So uh...What were you doing at Fairytale last night?

**Why were you at Fairytale?**

Hey, I asked first. You just don't seem like a strip club type of person to me.

**I was there to say hi to a friend**

Oh?

**Mmm. They haven't lived here long**

I see. What are they called?

**I don't remember their stage name. I always just called them Jan.**

Oh, Jan!

**Stiles, why are you friends with strippers?**

I uh...Long story.

**Maybe I'll ask Jan, next time I see them. I'm sure they'll be happy to tell me**

Shit.

Hey, what makes you think they know me as Stiles?

**They don't need to**

**'A friend of mine said he knew you,' I'll say. 'About my height, pale, lots of moles, brown eyes that reflect gold in the light sometimes.'**

You suck.

**And Jan will say, 'Oh, that one!' and go off on a tangent about how you should wear tighter pants so everyone looks at your ass**

**Jan likes to talk about people**

Where did you get the tight pants thing from?

Did you already ask them?

**Jan likes to give fashion advice when they talk about people**

**And their fashion advice falls into certain...tropes**

Huh.

**They'll look at you, they'll see an ass you aren't showing off, abs you aren't showing off, arms you aren't showing off.**

**They'll tell you to drop at least two shirts and wear tighter pants**

**And they'll probably try to put eyeliner on you to make your eyes look bigger, your face looks good with that sort of contrast**

Holy shit, they're good. They already told me to wear tighter t-shirts and tighter pants.

Also, if you must know, I work with Jan.

**Doing what.**

What do you think?

**Stiles.**

Derek.

**You're working at Fairytale? Does your dad know?**

No, he doesn't and you're not gonna tell him.

**Stiles, if he doesn't.../why/ are you working at Fairytale?**

There's just.. There's a lot of stuff to pay, Derek. Bills, hospital fees, college.

**Why is this the first I'm hearing about this?**

**You /know/ I have money, Stiles**

What did you expect me to do? Say, hey, Derek! I'm a stripper to help my dad out!

I'm not a charity case.

**No, you're a member of my pack**

I don't expect you to pay anything.

**I know you don't expect it, if you expected it I'd think you were acting like an entitled asshole**

**But my money came from my pack and it is for my pack.**

Which I'm not. Derek, I can make my own money and it definitely pays enough to save for college.

If I even get into any but y'know.

**Of course you'll get in.**

**I know you can support yourself, Stiles, but places like Fairytale...people like Jan are just about the only upside for employees, I remember.**

It's not that bad of a job. I throw myself round a pole, act sexy and confident for tips. I don't do private rooms.

**Thank fucking god**

**And it's not the job itself, it's the way people look at you.**

**Like they own you**

The way people look at me isn't so bad. Makes a difference to being looked at like I'm an incapable teenager.

I dunno. It's good money.

**Look, if you're okay with the job and it doesn't bother you, then I'm not about to tell you to quit. It's your body, it's your choice**

I know and I get what you're saying. It's just nice to have some sort of independence. You know?

**Yeah**

Just don't tell anyone.

**It was a long time before Laura and I got our family's money sorted out, and for some of it I was too young to have much luck getting work**

**It felt really good when I finally did, when I wasn't just relying on her**

**And I promise I won't tell anyone if you promise /me/ you'll ask me for help if you need it**

Yeah? It's good. To know you're not relying on people and you can sort your own problems. I've relied on my dad for so long and I wanna help him.

Thank you. I promise.

**I don't care what. If you need me to pick you up, if you need me to glare at assholes for you, if you need me to go on a supply run so people don't gossip about the Sheriff's son buying make up, if you need me to give you a loan so you don't have to do private rooms when the tips are bad. I'll help.**

You're amazing. You know that, right?

**I'm really not.**

You really, really are.

I think you are.

**You're pretty impressive yourself, you know**

Nah. But I try and that's what matters, right?

**Well, I'm impressed**

With what?

**You have a lot of courage, I guess**

**I don't know if that's quite the right word**

Meh. Again, I try.

**But you look at a situation and you go, 'I guess that's what we've got', and you rub your hands together and get to work and make the best of it**

**You looked at Scott, newly bitten, and you went, 'you're a werewolf now, buddy, let's figure this out'**

**You have this incredible capacity to roll with things, to accept changes to your expectations and just keep on going**

There was nothing else I really could though, I guess? Gotta roll with the punches.

**When that stuff happens to me it makes me feel like I'm standing on quicksand**

You gotta just keep going.

Me too. I mean, getting possessed? Fucking terrifying.

Eichen House? Also terrifying.

**Stiles, I spent weeks nearly catatonic after my family died**

**Poor Laura had no idea what to do, she was trying to keep me and her together and get us out of town and hide us, and all I could do was lie there and cry**

**There were a few times it came back, over the years - not as bad, or for as long, but sometimes I'd just...fall apart**

**After I killed Peter, I spent about a week in the woods**

**Not at the house, just...in the woods**

I get what you mean. There are times where I wanna just give up. Lie there and cry and do nothing. I couldn't bring myself to do it. Cause I know I have a pack to hold myself together for.

**After Peter was resurrected, the same**

Sheesh. I'm sorry.

**And that's, that's amazing. You take the way people need you and you make it your strength**

And you're always welcome to talk to me about this at any time.

**I don't know how to do it. It's one of the reasons being Alpha was so hard for me**

But you're strong. You're strong and we pull from that strength.

I think we're all strong.

**Sometimes I worry that we make ourselves brittle with it**

Yeah?

Brittle how?

**I guess...there are good ways and bad ways to take a blow. You have to give way to it.**

**Sometimes I'm worried that we hold ourselves so tight and tense, keeping ourselves together, that we don't know how to bend**

**Scott in particular worries me...someday he's going to kill someone and he won't be able to forgive himself, no matter how or why it happens**

I sorta get what you mean, yeah. We'll get to the point that we can't take any more hits so we'll take one and it'll shatter us.

I agree with you there. Scott goes through grieving properly, I guess, though.

**He has that going for him**

Like...I feel he actually deals with things and admits something is wrong.

Yeah, he does.

**Sometimes I've got everything held so tight I don't know how to breathe**

**It's why I like the woods so much**

**Everything's changing there, and everything's the same**

That's why I get panic attacks. It sucks.

I go for walks in the woods sometimes. It's peaceful.

**I'm unimportant there**

**Do you dance, properly I mean, at Fairytale? I didn't actually see you, or I didn't recognise you**

**I used to love the grace of it**

I dance like the others. Pole and a bit of stripping.

**Mmm. There's pole dancing and pole dancing, though.**

I just feel.. Up there I feel human. Which is weird. But sometimes I still feel possessed or I still feel damaged. Y'know?

Yeah, there is.

**I know what you mean.**

**Obviously it's not the same for me, I've always been a wolf, but there are times when I'm just...being. I'm not my past, I'm just passing through this moment on my way to the next one.**

I totally get what you mean. You're just you. You're there and you're continuing.

**Usually I get that when I'm most strongly in my body, in the physicality of it**

**You should ask Jan to teach you some more complicated stuff. They're a good teacher, and that kind of dancing feels very...strong.**

Yeah? Well, they usually go through some stuff with me before opening if I go early. I'll ask to learn some more complicated stuff. Push myself.

**You've got the physique for it, or you'll get there easily**

I hope so. Especially if it helps for tips.

**Oh, it'll help**

Good, I'm glad. Means no temptation to even think about private rooms.

**Basic dancing, people are thinking about how you'll rub up against them. More complicated stuff, they're thinking about how you'd move them and move around them in bed. That kind of strength and flexibility means more exotic and involved fantasising, which means more tips**

Huh, you know a lot about this. Thank you. I'll try my best to get more flexible and stuff.

**I told you, Jan and I are old friends. Did you think I wouldn't?**

**Don't push yourself too hard, though. You don't want to hit your limits just before a show.**

**And you'd be surprised how many ways you can incorporate a single extra move into a routine, if it's something simple**

Oh, yeah, obviously. I don't wanna pull anything.

Mhm. I've been working with simple routines so far.

**You can also just wear yourself out. I've seen dancers have to change their routines half-way through because their muscles were shaking and they couldn't hold themselves up**

**Little things make a big difference. Accessorising, I guess.**

Jeez. That sounds.. Holy shit. That sounds awful. Sarah did break her stiletto last week mid performance though.

**Costume malfunctions are the worst.**

**Particularly when they're minor enough you have to keep going**

**And it's just nagging at you the whole time**

Mhm. Had one last night. Jess' bra snapped.

Like something digging in.

**That sounds /really/ unpleasant**

Her bra snapping? Yeah.

**Oh, about your routine. Don't just emphasise the features everyone has**

**Everyone in a strip club has an ass worth looking at, junk worth looking at, abs worth looking at, arms worth looking at**

**That's why they hire you.**

**So the basic routines are built around that**

Right. Got it.

**But people also have individual features that make them stand out**

**You, in particular, should do stuff with your hands.**

My hands? Because my fingers are long and stuff?

**And stuff.**

Right.

**Just...draw attention to them. Don't just let them be there at the end of your arms, actually do something with them.**

**It doesn't have to be giving the pole a hand-job, people are pretty good at running with what you show them once they notice it**

Huh. So use my hands, I can totally do that.

**With no extra training, even. It's a pity you can't really show off your mouth when you dance, but I'm fairly sure Jan will fix that as much as possible when they get make up on you**

Yeah, they put lipstick on me when I was going out for my first routine. I was nervous. Apparently it was supposed to give me good luck.

**It's traditional, but it would have looked particularly good on you**

**Some faces aren't made for lipstick**

It is? Huh. Why, are my lips good?

Jan calls me Bambi.

**Are your.../Stiles/**

**You do obscene things with your mouth habitually, subconsciously, and /very often/**

Do I? Huh. I never noticed. I chew pens and stuff?

**And stuff.**

**Sometimes it is very suggestive**

It is?

**It really, really is. I never quite decided if it was a good thing or a bad one that you weren't fellating everyday objects on /purpose/.**

Shit. Well, I totally never realised I was doing that. It just happens accidentally.

**I'm aware**

**If you'd been doing it deliberately, I would have gotten pissed at you ages ago**

Why?

**The point it, yes, your mouth is one of your better features, it will look good with lipstick, and you habitually use it in obscene ways without noticing, which you unfortunately can't do in a strip-club**

You didn't answer my question.

**Which question?**

Why you'd be pissed at me.

**Because...it's a very sexually aggressive thing to do, and I find that sort of thing uncomfortable.**

**And it's teasing**

Ahh, I see.

Did it tease you?

Out of curiosity.

**Stiles, in this conversation I have commented on your skin, your eyes, your ass, your abs, your arms, your hands, your physique in general, and, at some length, your mouth. Guess.**

I'm guessing I do tease you then. Huh. That's a new goal for me, I swear. I'm too used to people not finding me attractive in general or sexually attractive.

**You work at a strip club.**

**Why the hell do you think they hired you?**

Because I have a winning personality?

**If you were working the bar, perhaps. Not as a dancer.**

Fair enough. Takes some getting used to.

**Congratulations, Stiles, you've been judged 'most likely to appeal to whoever the fuck walks in here'.**

**Strip clubs aren't really great for self esteem**

They aren't?

**Every single person there is looking at someone else and thinking that /they/ are more attractive**

**The dancers look at each other, and everyone else looks at the dancers.**

Even I'm looking at someone else and thinking they're more attractive than me.

**If you want to feel hot, let Jan pick some clothes out for you and go to Jungle**

Go to Jungle? Why?

**People dance /with/ you there**

I'd end up getting spotted in there. To be honest, I'm surprised I haven't been spotted in Fairytale yet.

**They don't just ogle you and fantasise, they appreciate and hope**

Very true.

**You'll get propositions instead of tips, and tips may be good for the pocket, but they do almost nothing for the ego**

I'd like to think my ego is kinda small anyway.

**That's my point. You underestimate yourself in a lot of ways, some of which strangers can't fix. But dancing with strangers /can/ make you feel hot, which isn't a terrible thing to fall back on when you feel like everything else about you is shit.**

You know, that makes perfect sense. I might do that at some point. On a day off or something.

**Let me know if you need a driver**

I'll give you a nudge if I do. Maybe invite Jan.

**Jan will probably invite me if you do. They like me to be their wingman.**

That sounds fun to me.

**According to them, I'm very good at noticing when people are bothering them and glaring at them until they go away**

**Such are the mundane uses of werewolf senses**

Aww, Sourwolf. That's adorable.

**Laura started complaining in Jan's earshot when I was younger that I was glaring too much for anyone to come nearer. Jan thought they'd put me to use**

Hey, your grumpy wolf glare comes in handy! You should totally dance with me at Jungle too. I'm a terrible casual dancer, I fall over my own feet usually.

**If you want**

**I have the opposite problem - I'm usually too stiff**

I'm sure you'd loosen up.

**It depends who I'm with. I'm uncomfortable with too many eyes on me.**

 Just imagine it's just you and me. Isolates us

**Sometimes I can get into that headspace we talked about, where it's me, but not /really/ me, and I can let go of it**

**Yeah, a partner helps**

Then we'll try it.

**Thank you**

**I haven't gone dancing in...a long time**

**Mostly I just punch things, now**

I'm sure you'll enjoy it.

**If you're with me, I'm sure I will**

I'll be right there with you.

**I'm looking forward to it.**

Me too.

**I'm sorry if it sounded like I was criticising you earlier, about your job**

No, no. It's okay. You know more than I do!

**Yes, well, I hated it.**

**It doesn't actually bother you.**

You hated working at a club?

**Mmm. Like I told you, I don't like eyes on me, I don't like sexual aggression directed at me - I'm not the best-suited person to be a pole-dancer.**

I get what you mean. Sexual aggression kinda freaks me out but I have to deal with it at work.

**It was good money, though, and at the time we needed it, so I had to keep it**

**Once I got smart enough to make my own routine it got easier**

So it was more suited for you, yeah.

**I went for aggression and power instead of rubbing up on things like a cat, and I got a lot more comfortable**

Yeah, I'd be shit at power and aggression. I'm too slim and weak looking.

**You don't look weak, exactly, and I'd call you lean rather than slim**

**But I'm...well, people look at me and assume I'm a very aggressive, dominant top**

And you're not?

**/You/ look versatile. And like you have finesse**

**No-one's ever just one thing, Stiles**

**And frankly, I spend far too much time fighting to find it fun in the bedroom.**

Well, obviously. I know. I don't mean I thought you were, I just was like huh yeah you're not.

Me too.

**There's times and ways and moods for it, but I do actually like to relax sometimes**

**Same with the power play - in some moods it's great, but mostly I'd rather just be Derek when I'm having sex**

I'd rather not be terrified in the bedroom. Not that I spend a lot of time in the bedroom in that way.

Yeah, exactly.

**Power play should never be about fear. Adrenaline, maybe. But if you're genuinely afraid, you need to stop the scene**

Definitely. I'm not exactly experienced though.

**I don't think you need experience to recognise that sex shouldn't be frightening.**

Oh, no, I know that. I just mean I'm not experienced. Or experienced in any sort of power play.

**Awkward, clumsy, embarrassing, weird - that's all completely normal and, frankly, healthy**

Me 80% of the time. I say 80% because I'm weirdly graceful on a pole.

**After a while it'll start carrying through to other things, you know**

**I got a lot better at fighting after I started working at the club**

Yeah? I hope so. I still sleep with a freaking bat.

**And I don't think you'd really enjoy power play, not beyond little things. Quite apart from the unpleasant associations with having power over people or being helpless, even when I met you, you hated hierarchies. You didn't want to be in charge, and you didn't want to follow.**

I have a thing about authority. I hate it. So I don't know.

**Yes, I did eventually figure that out.**

Maybe it's because my dad's a Sheriff.

**I think it has as much to do with the way you two relate to each other**

**You treat each other very equally**

Yeah, I know what you mean.

**He grounds you, you restrict his diet, there's a lot of scolding on both sides**

I tend to test boundaries.

**That too**

Definitely. Yeah, I test authority. I'm the worst.

**You go into the world asking to be respected as an intelligent adult.**

**The horror**.

I know, right? Terrifying.

**No wonder Harris hates you**

**He never gets respect from anyone but the students he's allowed to demand it of, and you refuse to give it to him?**

I refuse to give him respect because he gives me none.

Dick.

**Perfectly fair. Respect should be earned.**

Exactly!

**He treats you like shit because you laugh at him, you laugh at the source of his authority, you laugh at the idea that it means anything**

I also laugh at him because he's an idiot and he thinks he's a good teacher. It's hilarious. Plus, he wouldn't let me leave class when I was quite clearly having a panic attack.

**I wish I could say that dicks like that confine themselves to teaching and you won't meet more**

**They do tend to gravitate to bureaucracy**

Well, fuck.

**If you're lucky, you'll never have one for a landlord**

Oh god, yeah. I'm so glad we're in our own house right now. Less for my dad to deal with.

**I wonder what he'll do when you move out? It's a big house for one person**

I'm guessing he'll stay there? I mean, it was his and mom's house.

**Mmm. Echoes get lonely, though, sometimes.**

I guess so, yeah.

I dread moving out and leaving him.

**He won't be alone**

**Even when you go away for college**

Oh?

**You love him too much for us to let him be**

True. I'd make you monitor his diet.

**I can't say we'll be as militant as you are, but we'll watch him**

You better be.

**Ms McCall will look out for him too, which I imagine he'll appreciate more than the rest of us**

Hm. I think they have a romance going on.

**I suspect they've had a romance going on for a long time, in a comfortable sort of way**

It's a no pressure and no labels sort of thing.

**Yeah. Once you go to college, he'll get bored and start spending more time with her, I'm guessing**

What if they get married?

**Would that bother you?**

Not at all. I want him to be happy and Melissa would be a bonus.

**And, of course, you and Scott would be brothers**

We would.

I'm glad you're fixing your relationship with him, by the way

**It was pretty unhealthy for a while there**

**And I could tell you weren't happy about it**

With who? Scott?

**Yeah**

Yeah, well...I was in a rough place.

**It was as much him as it was you**

**It started a long time ago**

You think so?

**Not long after I met you, I think**

What makes you think that?

**When you came into the woods, looking for his inhaler, you were balanced, easy with each other**

**But it kept on happening that you'd be looking for different things, asking different questions, caring about different things**

**It wasn't just the two of you anymore, and you dealt with that in different ways, and you got unbalanced**

**By the time the kanima came around, it was obvious**

Huh. I know what you mean. We drifted and then there was Liam and some others and Kira and the Nogitsune.

**There were just more and more people in his world to worry about**

**And I think, instead, you worried about him in more and more ways**

**You thought about ramifications and possibilities and contingencies**

**And you prepared for them**

**But he wasn't looking after you in the same way**

I did. He didn't get why I worried so much and I didn't feel like he cared as much as I did.

It was just like...I'd have a panic attack and I stopped feeling like I could go to him.

**Because he was always busy with someone else**

Yeah, that was my point and he didn't get it.

**I was fucking angry with him for that, too**

He gets it now though, once he saw how bad things had gotten for me.

**Like I said, I'm glad the two of you are doing better**

Me too.

**You will keep in touch when you go to college, won't you?**

With who?

**The pack, I suppose. But me too**

**I'm going to miss you**

You are pack. And I'll miss you too. A lot. -SS

Of course. I'll keep in touch. -SS

**Oh - I didn't mean I wasn't pack, I just meant...specifically, not just as part of the group**

Oh! Well, yeah. You specifically. I'll make sure to text and call.

**You're my best friend, you know**

**I know Scott's yours, but...**

Nah, you're one of my best friends. You mean so much to me.

**...That's really good to hear.**

Really. You've done a lot for me.

**It wasn't that important**

Hey. You've done a lot for me. Really.

**I've just been...trying to keep us all alive**

I've been doing the same.

You go above and beyond.

**Sometimes it's felt like you're the only one who pays attention to me, though, as anything other than yet another werewolf**

Hey, I'm the boy who runs with wolves, right? I see you for you. Derek Hale.

**You're more than that. You're Stiles.**

**We're lucky to have you**

I try.

As do you.

**Trying's worth something, but success is worth more. I'll be remembered for my failures in the long run**

I'll remember for your success. For all you've done for me.

**'He knocked me into a pool once, to save me from a monster, and then I had to save him when he fell in himself'**

You tried though! Could've bolted and left me to it.

**I really couldn't have**

Still.

**I already owed you my life**

**For every time I've saved you, you've paid it back to me**

You did a lot with the Nogitsune. You were there when I blew up the station.

Then we're equal.

**I'd rather pretend I owe you too many debts to ever repay them**

**It gives me an excuse to keep hanging around**

I want you to hang around. I mean, you don't need an excuse. You'll be the one struggling to get rid of me.

**I can't imagine why I'd try**

Then I think we have a good thing going.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> All credit for Stiles and the prompt goes to my collaborator - let me know if I can credit you.
> 
> I hope you all enjoyed it.


	7. Drunken Revelations

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Stiles is drunk, and says some things he maybe wouldn't've if he were sober. Derek just wanted to keep him talking until he could pick Stiles up.
> 
> Drunk Stiles, love confessions, after season 3

You're so pretty.

**What?**

With your pretty eyes and your pretty face and your everything.

**Are you drunk?**

I am not...undrunk

**Where are you?**

drunk

oh you said where

**That's a state of mind, not an actual place**

**Yes**

I'm at the park

**Who's with you?**

me. I'm with me. like that beyonce song.

**Fuck. I'll come get you - stay where you are, okay?**

walking is hard

**Then you should sit down**

I'm laying down. are you coming here?

**Yes, I'm coming.**

no. noooo you can't come be pretty in front of me. I'll get a boner. and then you'll punch me.

**I won't punch you, Stiles**

you will. I don't wanna get punched.

**I promise I won't punch you when you're drunk, Stiles.**

...but you'll punch me later

**I promise I won't punch you for anything you do or say while drunk.**

**Why do you think I'd punch you?**

....okay.

**I've never punched you**

You punched my hand once. And slammed my head into a steering wheel. And that's always what people do on TV when a guy gets an intrusive boner. Punching. Or slapping but you seem more punchy.

**I don't...I wouldn't hurt you, Stiles**

**Did I hurt you, those times?**

Punch doesn't even look like a real word anymore.

I mean, yeah, a little.

Not bad though. Mostly just my feelings.

**I'm sorry. I was...teasing.**

 Yeah. That happens to me a lot.

 It's okay.

**It's not really, but thanks**

Yeah it is. I'm teasable. I get that a lot. I'm used to it.

**You shouldn't be. I'm sorry.**

It's okay. It's not your fault.

**Mm. You sound a little more sober, now.**

Yeah. Not fun.

Rather be drunk.

**That's...why did you get drunk tonight, Stiles?**

Feel like it.

Everyone has dates.

**And you didn't get anyone to keep you company? You didn't even do it at home, where you'd be safe?**

Dad's at home. With Melissa. Told him I'd stay with Scott.

**So why aren't you?**

Scott has a date with Kira.

Everyone has a date. Except me.

**I don't have a date**

Braeden not in town?

**Braeden wasn't much more than a one-time thing. She was never interested in dating.**

Oh. Well, don't worry. You'll find another super hot, intimidating lady.

**I'd rather not be intimidated in bed, thanks.**

Braeden was pretty intimidating.

But I guess so are you.

**I was pretty vulnerable at the time**

**It wasn't great**

Sorry.

You deserve nicer girlfriends.

**It's not your fault, you don't need to apologise**

**I'm really glad I dated Jason in New York, or I'd think I was cursed**

Wish you had someone nice. Who'd. ..pet your hair and give you nice things. Like hot chocolate. And blow jobs.

**It wasn't great either, but in an ordinary, 'nothing special' way**

**Thanks, Stiles**

Maybe not at the same time.

**Although that makes me think you're not as sober as you think you are**

**That could be messy, true**

I found vodka.

**Not the fun kind of mess, either**

**Stiles, no.**

Haha. You're funny.

Derek made a jizz joke.

**Sex is messy and gross and awkward and weird**

**Anyone who says differently is selling something**

**Usually porn**

Yeah. But nice, if it's with someone special. At least, I've heard.

**It can be**

Doubt I'll find out.

**You will**

Nah.

**People in BH are just idiots, that's all**

**You'll do fine once you get to college**

Don't you know? I have a process. I fall in love with someone out of my league, obsess, watch them fall for someone else, or multiple someones, and then just hurt for a while.

I've got it down to a system by now.

**I'm sorry**

It's okay. It's not your fault.

Just like it wasn't Lydia's fault.

**That doesn't mean I can't be sad that you're hurting**

**What?**

I'm dysfunctional.

**You're not dysfunctional, you're fine**

And....drunk. I'm going to lay down.

**I thought you were already laying down**

Wait. I'm already laying down. Everything is just. ..wobbly.

**Save some of that vodka for me, would you?**

Sno more.

Thought you couldn't get drunk.

**How much did you drink tonight, Stiles?**

**There are ways**

Amounts.

**Of vodka and...?**

Scotch. Finished dad's bottle.

**Fuck. Stiles, you can't do this**

It's okay.

**You can't go out and get drunk like this in a fucking /park/ without telling anyone what you're doing.**

**It's not fucking okay!**

I do this sometimes.

**That makes it worse, not better**

Don't yell at me.

**I'm worried about you, Stiles**

I'm okay. I'm just a little sad.

**What if something happened to you?**

Sometimes I get sad. I'm okay.

**Getting sad is fine, getting drunk alone in a park at night is not**

**Look, next time you need to do this, tell me.**

**You can come over to the loft**

**I'll clear out if you want to be alone, or keep you company if you don't**

I don't want you to be mad at me.

Please don't be mad at me.

**I'm not mad at you, Stiles.**

**Like I said, I'm worried.**

**I don't want you to get hurt**

It's okay. I'm fine. You don't have to worry. It wouldn't be your fault if something happened. No one would be mad at you.

**/I/ would be mad at me**

Why?

**If something happened to you and I could have stopped it, I'd be furious with myself**

It's not your job to fix everything you know.

**Because I care about you, idiot**

Not an idiot.

I'm not.

**...No**

**You're smarter than all of us.**

I get stuff. I just get distracted.

**I shouldn't have said that**

It's okay.

**It just frustrates me that you don't seem to realise how important you are**

I'm not really. I'm just human.

And tired.I'm really tired.

**'Human' has nothing to do with it.**

**Don't fall asleep yet, Stiles**

**I'll be there soon, okay?**

Okay....

I'm sorry.

**I need to know you're okay until I get there**

**Why are you sorry?**

I don't know. I'm just. ..Sorry.

For everything. For being mean to you.

**You're not mean to me**

Sometimes. I was mean after Mrs. Blake. I didn't mean it. I was scared. And jealous.

**Jealous?**

She was evil, but you liked her.

She got to kiss you.

**I liked her because she made me like her**

Bet she even cuddled you. And I didn't get to.

**I was healing massive gashes in my torso, you know.**

**You can cuddle me if you want.**

I know. I'm terrible.

**I'll still cuddle you if you want it.**

Really?

**Yes**

Because I'm drunk?

It's okay. You don't have to.

**Because you're sad. And it's no hardship.**

I think I'm going to go to bed.

**Please keep talking to me**

**Seriously, I will be there in five minutes**

**Don't fall asleep yet**

It's hard to type. I'm sleepy.

**Yeah, but it's uncomfortable on the grass, right?**

I love you a little though.

**...yeah?**

Mom said to always tell people how you feel before you go to sleep.

Just in case.

**You should stay awake so you can tell me in more detail when I get there**

So I love you, Derek. More than a little.

I'm trying. But it's hard. I feel sick.

**I know, Stiles, I know you're starting to feel shit**

**As soon as I get there, I can help you**

I threw up.

**I'll bring you back to the loft, and you can drink some water and take some painkillers. You can sleep in my bed, I'll take the couch.**

**That sucks**

Yeah. Everything is spinning.

**Okay. Just...sit up against a tree, maybe?**

**Being upright might help a little with the nausea**

[delay]

**Stiles**

**Stiles**

**Stiles, text me back, please**

**literally you just have to type a letter and press send**

**more would be good**

Had to close my eyes for a little while.

**Oh thank god**

**You scared me**

I wanna sleep.

**I know, Stiles.**

**Just...stay awake until I can get you to the loft, okay?**

**So you can hear me tell you how I feel before we go to sleep.**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Credit for Stiles and the prompt goes to my delightful collaborator - thank you so much, and I'd love to acknowledge you by name.
> 
> Hope you all enjoyed it!


	8. Tying the Knot

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Hale Pack and the McCall Pack are forming an alliance, in order to share the territory of Beacon Hills. As part of the treaty, Stiles and Derek are getting mated.
> 
> Arranged marriage AU, A/B/O/ dynamics, Kate happened, so did the Nogitsune, (brief) mention of torture

Is this Derek Hale? My pack's Emissary said I needed to contact you.

**Yes. Who is this?**

Ah, right, sorry. Probably should've led with that. Hi, Stiles Stilinski. Can I assume you know why I'm texting you?

**From the McCall pack?**

Yes, that's right.

**I'm afraid I haven't been heavily involved in the details of negotiations.**

**Are you the omega?**

You haven't?

Yeah, I'm the omega.

**My Emissary and my Second are better negotiators than I am. I discussed the terms I was willing to accept with them, but they worked out the specifics.**

**Does the alpha of your pack conduct all negotiations personally?**

Ah.

**Usually. Although it's usually my job to do negotiations as his Second. We weren't entirely sure how it'd come over though, so I gave him some terms to work with, and told him to come back with any counter offers and stuff you guys gave us so we could work out the finer details.**

**So you volunteered for this?**

I'm the only one not mated.

I can't put anyone else through this.

Or in a relationship. I mean. Not all of us are properly mated yet. Some are waiting a little.

**I don't want to force you into anything you don't want.**

You're not.

This is the best way I can ensure peace between our two packs, as well as having a strong ally, and more stability for my pack.

**I'm impressed that you're willing to give up your choice for your pack.**

I'll do anything to keep them safe and happy and sane.

My pack means everything to me.

**I understand.**

**What are you hoping for from this partnership?**

**Personally, not on behalf of your pack.**

I'd hope for a friendship at least. Maybe have a bit of a friends with benefits thing going on. I can't deny I don't want a mate, or cubs, and it would be handy to have a heat partner.

Anything more would be incredible.

**Of course I'll help you with your heats if you want me there.**

**And I see no reason why we wouldn't be friends.**

We'll be mated. Of course I'll want you there.

Good.

What about you?

**Stiles, just because we're mated doesn't mean you don't have a choice.**

**Even if I've helped you through twenty heats, if you don't want me there, I won't be there.**

**Consent is very important to me, and it's even more important in an arrangement like this.**

**I would like to be friends, and I would like to try for more.**

**I'd rather let things develop naturally than go directly to friends with benefits, but I'm happy to discuss that with you further.**

**I'd like you to try to become friends with my pack, as I will try to get to know yours.**

I think we'll be pretty okay, Derek.

I like you already.

We'll see how the heat and rut thing go, yeah? Regarding the whole me or you wanting the other to be there and spend it with them thing.

I agree on the consent thing, and I would like you to know that it is extremely important to me too. I don't want to do anything that would make you uncomfortable.

I'd love to try for more too, because yes, it would be amazing if we'd fall in love and stuff like that.

I also agree with you on the natural development of our relationship, however I do have to remind you that to complete our mating bond, you'd need to knot me.

I would very much enjoy that, and will try to become friends with your pack, and hope you'll be able to befriend mine.

**I know we'll have to consummate the mating, and I'm willing to do that, but sexual intimacy is not...easy for me. It requires a lot of trust for me to be comfortable, and beyond the mating, I'd like to take the time to develop that trust.**

**Perhaps you could tell me a little about your pack-mates? I've only met a few.**

We can go as slow and fast as you'd like. I'm pretty easy with that stuff. Just keep telling me what is okay for me to do and what isn't. It could be that because we've mated, I'm more easily in your space, or try to hug or give you nuzzles and stuff. So. Y'know, just let me know, yeah?

Of course. Do you remember who you've met?

**Will do. Your alpha and emissary, obviously.**

**And a red-haired woman, Lydia something?**

Scott McCall and Danny Mahealani.

Lydia Martin. She's also damn good at negotiations. She's a banshee. Danny's human. We're not a big pack, and we're all sorts of creatures.

Me and Jackson Whittemore are born wolves. Scott was bitten by a rogue Alpha, and became a True Alpha. Jackson's a douche, and he can really get on everyone's nerves, but he's actually really insecure and protective of us. Lydia actually comes from a line of banshees, and is incredibly smart and downright terrifying if you ever cross her. Seriously. Don't try that, because she will vaporize you. We've got Liam Dunbar; he's the cub of our pack, bitten by Scott when he was almost being killed by a wendigo, and is really close to me and Scott. Got a bit of anger issues, but he's a real sweetheart and will do anything to try and protect us. Damn strong too. Then we have Allison Argent, which, I know, hunter, but has been fighting alongside us for many years after her mom and aunt tried to turn her dark side. She and her father keep us looped in with the hunter community, which is a great advantage. That's uh. About it.

**You have an Argent in your pack?**

**I knew you had a hunter, but...**

Hey, I know. I had the same reaction as you.

Hell, her grandfather had strung me up and tortured me for information about my pack.

I didn't trust her for a long time. But she earned her place.

She and her father have kept us safe and gotten nearly killed multiple times.

**I have personal history with the Argents. It will take me some time to trust her.**

I know.

I'm not telling you should trust her. Take all the time you need.

I researched you, and she told me what her aunt had done to your family. From what I know, she was murdered a couple of years ago.

I met her a couple of times. Kate Argent. Should've killed her when I had the chance.

Excuse me for saying.

**If you had the chance, you probably should've. I'm sure I'm not the only one she's hurt.**

I had a badly injured pack. I regret that I hadn't taken the chance, but understand that my pack goes above my desires to murder those who hurt them.

Needed to make sure they were okay first. Which was stupid, I admit.

**Pack comes first, always.**

**It's not stupid.**

They could've waited three more minutes.

But yeah, you're right.

**Sometimes, three minutes is too long to wait.**

I know.

Doesn't make me regret I wasn't the one to kill her any less, though.

She put me and my pack through hell. As well as you and yours.

**Does it help to know that my uncle and Second, who we all know is a sadistic bastard, is the one that killed her?**

**I never asked for details, but I'm certain it was not an easy death.**

That does, actually.

Thanks. Glad to know she knew agony before her death, although I'm sure it was too quick for my taste.

**I suppose I should tell you a little more about my pack - I don't know how much you already know about them.**

Not much, really. Just that according to Scott, your uncle is very creepy and your Emissary enjoys talking in riddles a little too much.

So please, tell me more about your pack.

**My uncle Peter is indeed creepy. He enjoys playing mind games. He makes up for it with a lot of historical knowledge of the Hale Pack, things I was too young to learn before the fire, and being an excellent strategist. He's quite protective of the pack - he'll mess with us, but _he's_ the only one allowed to do so.**

**My emissary, Dr Alan Deaton, is trained as a druid, and talks in riddles _far_ too much. He was my mother's emissary, and I think he'd prefer to hand on the role to a successor, but he hasn't found anyone he wants to train yet.**

**My younger sister, Cora, is the other born wolf in the pack. She was on her own for years after the fire, so she can be quite combative, and she's very wary of strangers.**

**Then there are the three bitten wolves: Isaac Lahey, Erica Reyes, and Vernon Boyd. I bit Isaac because his father was abusing him and it was something I could do to help. He can be very strong when he needs to be, and he's probably my most loyal beta, but at times the trauma does show through. Erica had epilepsy before the bite, and I think her improved health gave her enough of a confidence boost to start showing off what an awesome person she is. She's very assertive these days. She's mated to Boyd, who would probably be my second if Peter wasn't around. Boyd's quiet, but he cares a lot about the pack and is very supportive. We had a rough couple of years when I first bit them, but I like to think it's worked out well in the end.**

You like misfits too, huh?

I think I remember Isaac, Erica and Boyd from high school, actually.

Before the bite.

Oh? Did you know each other at all, or were you just in classes together? DH

I used to be friends with them. I knew Isaac a lot because he was often at the sheriff's station. My dad was called a lot to detain Mr Lahey.

We kinda lost touch after high school.

I used to help Erica with her epilepsy. I get panic attacks a lot, so I understood the whole. Being looked at and recorded and laughed at thing.

I tried to protect them as much as I could.

**Thank you for that.**

**Is there anything I should know about the panic attacks? Ways I can help you?**

You being an Alpha would already help a lot. You can try Alpha-ing me out of it, order me to breathe. You being my mate would make it more effective than when Scott does it. He's uh. A bit of a puppy, really. Try to get me to breathe with you. Just. Don't get angry. I know how irrational they are, but that doesn't mean I can't exactly flip a switch and breathe again. Talking helps a lot, sometimes cutting off my breath helps too. Lydia once kissed me to get me to stop breathing when it got really bad.

Make me feel you breathe, too.

Like. Hugging me from behind or something.

**Alright. And I can't imagine why I would get angry at you for something that you obviously don't want to have happen.**

And no need to thank me for taking care of those three. I've got a fucking soft spot when it comes to the outcasts and the underdogs of our world. They're good people.

I've had it before that someone's gotten angry at me for having a panic attack.

**Talking...is there anything I should talk about? Or just something for you to focus on outside the panic.**

Anything should work. Doesn't matter what. Reassuring me might work too. The annoying thing is, is that I don't know what'll set me off.

**I can understand that. I know some of my own triggers, but sometimes things can hit me out of nowhere.**

Yeah, exactly.

One day I'll be fine with whatever it is, and then the next, boom. Panic attack. It's really shitty.

What kind of triggers? You get panic attacks too or something else?

I'd like to help you too.

**I...had a very bad relationship once.**

**It only technically counts as rape, but there were definitely consent issues.**

**Panic attacks are rare, but there are things that remind me of her that can cause flashbacks.**

**At the very least, it's unpleasant, and brings up a lot of bad memories.**

**If something happens, get out of my space and talk. It doesn't matter what about.**

**Reminding me that I'm safe, she's gone, it's over, that sort of thing can be good.**

Alright, so no touching and reassuring. Good thing I can babble just about anything.

Can you tell me about some of your triggers so I can make sure I don't accidentally do any of them?

**I suspect I don't know all of them. I've had very few sexual relationships since then.**

**Don't call me sweetie.**

**Don't kiss or lick my stomach.**

**Most other things I know about are related to her appearance, scent, and voice, which are all very different to yours.**

Alright.

No nuzzling the stomach too? Just to make sure I'm covering all my bases here. I don't want to accidentally trigger you.

**I'm not sure. As I said, I haven't got a lot of experience since then. It might be alright.**

**I've had the betas lying on me in a pack affection context without issues.**

Then for our consummation I'll make sure not to put my lips anywhere near your stomach, just to be on the safe side. As our relationship develops, we can see how okay you'd be with that?

_[delay]_

It was with Kate, wasn't it?

_[delay]_

**Yes.**

She enjoyed calling people sweetie and abs.

Personal experience.

**Did she hurt you?**

Mhm. Yeah. She and her daddy thought we were all filth. In our second to last year of high school, I uh, was possessed by a void fox spirit. My body was used to kill and harm a lot of innocents.

They thought it was a good a reason as any to string me up.

**What?**

Ever heard of the Nogitsune?

**I haven't, no.**

Japanese creature. It's made to cause chaos and pain.

The Nemeton in Beacon Hills was opened by a druid who was trying to access it's power so that she could take revenge on her Alpha, and in the process let the Nogitsune out. It latches on a host, which in this case was me, and slowly takes over the mind, until the person is unable to move their body with their will, and are forced to watch everything the Nogitsune does with their body. It went on several murdersprees before my pack figured out how to get it out of me and kill it.

Of course, the Argents heard about it. And Gerard and Kate found me and took me so they could kill me.

**That sounds awful. I'm sorry that it happened to you.**

Better me than any of my pack.

But thank you.

Understandably, there are still nightmares and panic attacks from that time.

What Kate and Gerard did was nothing compared to what the Nogitsune made me do.

**I understand a little about being used to hurt people.**

I thought you might.

**Kate was sleeping with me before the fire. I let her in.**

I figured something like that had happened.

I'm sorry for what she did. It's not your fault.

Easier to say than to feel it, though, right? I know a thing or two about guilt.

It's why I'm so protective over my pack now. I'd meant it when I said I'd do anything to keep them safe.

**What are we going to do when we're mated? Our packs aren't merging.**

Not merging, perhaps, but we are going to share territory.

Which means co-Alpha-ing?

And maybe we wouldn't be merging according to an agreement, but it might happen naturally.

**That's true. Particularly since, if I understand things correctly, most of your pack went to high school with most of my pack.**

That's correct.

All of my pack when to high school with most of yours.

**Were they friends at all? None of mine like to talk about high school.**

Me and Scott used to be friends with your three betas. Lydia became friends with them at a later time, but not as close as I probably was. They only met Liam briefly, but Danny was everyone's friend, you know? Like I said, Jackson is a douche, so they probably don't like him. Allison was a friend, but just like Lydia, not as close.

I do know, though, that they took care of Erica and had girls nights.

**Merging seems likely, then.**

Yeah, I agree.

**In the meantime...I'd like us to live in the same house, at least, once we're mated. Would you be willing to move into the Hale Pack house?**

**If you'd rather the two of us live alone, I could do that, too.**

**As long as my betas are able to visit I can make it work.**

**I don't think I could live with your pack, I'd get too territorial.**

I know. It's okay.

I'd definitely be willing to live with you, wherever you'd like.

I'm not picky, really. I know how important betas are to you, and I'd like to think that the more I'm around them, the better it'll be for me to become part of your pack as your mate.

Your pack will become mine, too, and the more I'm around your betas, the more my instinctive side will see them as mine.

To protect and care for and all that.

Though, fair warning. Anyone gets creepy with me, I will bite.

**Good. Peter deserves it.**

**And I'd like that. A lot.**

Yeah?

**Like I said earlier, intimacy is hard for me. But I remember what my parents were like...I'd like to have something like that some day.**

I'll be happy to wait as long as you'd need. And yes, I'd like something that my parents had too.

I know that my instincts will probably go a little into overdrive when you claim me as yours, and I become part of your pack and get packbonds with your pack as well, so I feel like in the first couple of days I'd make a lot of impulsive moves and stuff. So I apologize in advance if I either come on too strong, or step over any boundaries. Just tell me if I need to stop, okay?

**It means a lot that you're willing to wait. I was thinking, maybe we should spend some time together before the mating so we can get used to each other?**

That would be great.

I'd really like that.

**And maybe give you a chance to meet the pack as well? I know they're curious.**

**Or re-meet, I suppose.**

That would be lovely.

Can't wait to see Catwoman again.

I'm glad you're their Alpha.

You sound like a good one, and those are hard to come by. They deserve lots of attention and affection, and from what I hear, you give it to them.

**I try. I was an awful alpha when I bit them.**

**Looking back, I can tell that I had dreadful PTSD.**

**I was pretty harsh on them, put a lot of focus on survival.**

**And I was really dictatorial.**

**Finding Cora again helped a lot.**

The good thing is that we learn, right?

 A lot of people aren't willing to. But you are. And I know I am, however difficult it may be.

I'm not going to try and lie about what happened with the Nogitsune. I'm still not right, and I don't think I'll ever be. But I will be better. I'm still working on being better. After the whole thing, I shut everyone out. It had made me almost kill a good portion of my pack, and I thought being away from them, and shutting them out was the best I could do.

I left.

I just. I got up one day, packed a bag and left.

Got a new phone, traveled around the country. Nobody knew me, and I liked it that way.

For a while, at least.

Scott found me.

Traveled with me for a while and then convinced me to come back home.

I thought they'd be angry, you know? Pissed off that I just left them like that. Hell, I was terrified to meet them or my dad.

But they weren't. We were older, more sure of ourselves, and we fell back into being a pretty good pack immediately. They never blamed me for what I did, for leaving them. They knew I needed time to process everything, to work on being okay on my own instead of having others try and tell me what to do.

I love them to death for it.

**They sound like they deserve you.**

**I never really had a pack to leave that way, not when things were really bad, but there were (are still, actually), days when I just needed to shift and run.**

**You can never escape the memories, but sometimes you need to try.**

Yeah, I know what you mean.

I sometimes spend a day or two in the preserve. Shifted, or not.

Life's simpler if you're a wolf. Less painful.

**I have a den out there, actually. I should show you sometime.**

I'd be honored.

I look forward to meeting you and re-meeting your betas.

**I do too.**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> With thanks to my anonymous collaborator for the prompt and for Stiles - I'd love to give you the credit you deserve.
> 
> Hope you enjoyed it!


	9. Derek Hale is an Asshole

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Stiles has been on a lot of bad dates lately. He turns to Derek for comfort. Unfortunately, Derek Hale is an asshole. 
> 
> Friendship, gen, so much sass, Firefighter Derek Hale, Derek is seeing a therapist, Disney references

Dating is the worst.

**Yeah. That's pretty much the conclusion I've come to.**

Either I think they're boring, or I drive them nuts

I think I need to stop trying

**I usually date murderers but we all have our problems.**

God, you're sassy

**Hi, don't know if we've met. I'm Derek Hale.**

yeah, hi

you are the most unsympathetic person I've ever met

**I do kinda hold most of the "my life sucks" trump cards.**

yeah: you're neurotypical, perpetually physically healthy, male, young, rich, white, straight, cisgendered, educated, living in America...how could things possibly be worse?

**I could be as irritating as you.**

...you can be pretty irritating

like right now, for instance

**Yeah but they've given you trophies, right?**

**I never got a trophy.**

just because Jackson's a douche doesn't mean I'm an award-winning annoyance

I still can't believe he was that committed to messing with me

**I've gotten several trophies but most of them were for basketball.**

man, imagining bb Derek playing basketball is hilarious

**I wonder where all those trophies went...**

Were the opposition terrified by your scowl, or did you not have the muscle to back it up yet?

you're such an asshole

I feel like this is something the whole town should know

'Asshole Derek Hale Wins Arguments With Tragic Past'

**Nah I'm a pillar of the community now.**

that is such bullshit

how did that even happen?

**You go to college, I volunteer at the public library.**

does the leather not intimidate the small children?

**I wear sweaters and I sit in a circle and read to them.**

**I even do voices.**

oh my god

this is the most amazing thing to happen ever

can I come see?

**Nah you know what's better?**

what?

**The town really fell for me about this one.**

what?

**Oh god no I can't**

**You're gonna die.**

you can't do that, you can't just promise me glory and then snatch it away, Derek, no fair

**So. I joined the fire department.**

[delay]

[delay]

what the fuck

**I know.**

Derek, what the fuck.

**They did an article about me in the newspaper.**

**I get free pie.**

what even

no, seriously, what

**I joined BHFD.**

actually, better question: why?

**I dunno**

**Your dad said I should be doing something worthwhile with my time.**

and you decided to fucking join the fire department?

**I'm really good at it.**

that was the first thing that popped into your head?

well of course you're good at it

**What's wrong with me being a firefighter.**

that job is basically saving things and muscle, it's made for you

nothing's /wrong/, I just...

you can't tell me it was an easy, straightforward thing

**I'm a fast learner and none of the physical requirements were hard.**

at some point, you must have sat down and actively made the decision that joining the fire department was more important to you than your fire-related trauma

**I thought I was neurotypical.**

**Decide if I have ptsd about it or not, because I'd personally love to know.**

**On the edge of my seat here.**

I'm not a psychologist, I don't get to make diagnoses

And you can be fucked up about something without having PTSD

I, for example, am fucked up about the idea of dementia because of my mother

I could not deal with working in an old folk's home

doesn't mean I have PTSD

**Yeah well my therapist thinks it's a good way to make something that causes me pain become something positive that I can help people with.**

see, that.

**What.**

that moment, where you sat down with a goddamn therapist and decided you were a bit fucked up about this and were going to do it anyway

**Yeah.**

**What of it.**

that's what I was getting at - that there had to be that moment, that this wasn't easy

because you talk about it like it's nothing

**I'm fine.**

like you're winning at something because the town thinks it's a big deal and it isn't

I'm not saying you're not fine

I'm saying you did something hard and the credit you get for it isn't a joke because you deserve it

**Don't do that.**

don't do what?

**Make everything real.**

...sorry

I forget that being an asshole is one of your coping mechanisms

**Nice.**

**I forget that being an asshole is one of your defining characteristics.**

hey, I'm giving you a get-out-of-jail free card, don't mock

[delay]

**I scared a cat up a tree just so I could rescue it.**

oh jesus christ

**It sort of backfired.**

couldn't get it down, or /you/ couldn't get down?

**We both got down fine.**

**And then we both got home fine.**

**And now we both live there fine.**

...but now you have a cat

**Yup.**

don't cats hate werewolves?

**Not Sunshine.**

...you called her Sunshine.

**I like saying good morning to her.**

oh god you are such a dork

**And she's like golden. And the nicest, snuggliest cat I've ever met.**

you really like her, don't you?

**It's not horrible having a pet around.**

I always wanted a dog, but dad said no

**Bet he regretted the karma on that.**

well, Scott was always kind of a puppy

it's just more literal now

**I like dogs.**

If I leave you alone for five minutes you're going to end up with a menagerie, aren't you?

**50 elephants, llamas galore. Bears and lions a brass band and more.**

what.

**Never mind.**

is that from one of the books you read to small children?

**No.**

**It's from the classic Disney movie Aladdin.**

huh

**Oh whatever.**

**It's the first time I learned the term menagerie. It makes me think of it shut up.**

no, I have plenty of Disney lyrics in my brain, I won't judge

Disney teaches important vocabulary like "expectorating"

**That's a good movie too.**

**You know who you remind me of?**

it's either going to be lafou, lumiere, or chip, isn't it?

**No seriously. You and Belle are pretty similar if you think about it.**

Aww. Are you saying I'm pretty?

**Oh you're right. Most attractive person in town...**

**Maybe I'm Belle.**

You do love books...

But I think the creepy house in the woods and the fangs really lend themselves to a different comparison

**I was thinking more like weird, nerdy, obstinate, brave, weird, contradictory, and super fucking into reading weird shit.**

how is "it's got a beanstalk and an ogre" weird shit?

"a prince in disguise"?

**It was weird for her town.**

true. only the sheep would listen to her

**What a fucking weirdo.**

talking to the sheep and the furniture

**But you've got those Disney Princess eyes on your side so who really cares if you're crazy, right?**

are you talking about me or her right now?

**I said you, didn't I**

it could have been rhetorical

and how do you figure that I've got princess eyes?

**Why would I attempt something rhetorical with you. You have an answer for everything.**

**And I dunno. You just do.**

aww. that's twice in two minutes you've complimented me, sourwolf. I'm touched

**Don't call me that.**

I could call you snugglewolf, in honour of your new pet

**You're an asshole.**

Takes one to know one.

Even if you do have a cat called Sunshine

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> With tremendous thanks to my collaborator for their /fantastically/ sassy Derek Hale - this was awesome!
> 
> Hope you guys enjoyed it too!


	10. The Truth of the Matter

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Stiles is cursed with a truth spell. He and Derek take the opportunity to talk some things out.
> 
> Post-3B, get-together, truth spell, discussion of Stiles getting the bite, schmoop

**Are you okay?**

Of course I'm not fucking okay.

**I'm sorry**

**You're right, that was a stupid question**

**Is there anything I can do?**

You can tie me up to your bed and tape my mouth shut.

The bed is optional.

AND OH MY GOD DON'T READ ANY OF THAT.

**...too late**

**Sorry**

Don't be sorry. This is Scott's fault.

If he wasn't so adorable, I'd smash his cute little face in.

**Do I need to have a talk with him?**

That fatherly tone is a turn on.

NO.

Don't.

FUCK. Don't talk to Scott.

**If you're sure**

I'm not.

**...what do you mean by that?**

I like when you two talk.

But I don't like when you talk about /me/.

**Ah**

Shut up.

**I assume telling him to stop harassing you counts as talking about you?**

He's not harassing me.

**You sound a bit harassed**

I'm not harassed. I'm frustrated.

**Can I help at all?**

Give me a hug.

Or stay far away.

**I'd rather not stay away from you**

I don't want you to, either.

But I do.

It's complicated.

**Explain it to me?**

I like you.

But I hate that you're perfect and I'm afraid you'll replace me as Scott's brother/best friend.

So I want to kick you in your pretty face and make out with you at the same time.

AND I HATE THIS FUCKING CURSE OH MY GOD.

**Shit, I'm sorry**

**I shouldn't have made you talk about this right now**

If you didn't, I don't think we ever would.

**Also, Scott's never going to replace you, and I'm far from perfect**

**Really?**

You're perfect for me.

Yes. We're the kind of people to not go for what we really want and settle for what we can get.

**Is that what you've been doing? Settling?**

What else would you call it?

**I don't know**

**You just...you seemed happy**

Well, I'm really good at lying.

Fooled all of you werewolfies.

**I shouldn't ask, but...**

But what?

**If you were just pretending to be happy, what else were you hiding?**

**You really don't have to answer that**

I'm fucking miserable and have been seeing a therapist once a week.

I've also been moonlighting as a 'consulting detective and reseacher' under the name of Mister X for a network of supernatural beings all over the world.

I haven't had a full night's sleep since I've been possessed and only eat a full meal a day and load up on junk food to try to make it through the day.

Should I keep going?

**God, Stiles, I'm so sorry**

Why are you apologizing, Derek? None of this is your fault.

**Isn't it?**

Not at all.

If anyone, I will blame Peter.

**He does make an excellent scapegoat**

**But seriously, I should have realised**

**I should have helped more**

**There has to be something I could have done**

It's okay, Derek. Really.

You had your own stuff to deal with.

You helped as much as you can, but you're still one guy.

**I suppose. I still feel responsible**

Don't.

Gotta trust the truth spell.

No one blames you.

**It only makes you say what you _think_ is the truth, you know**

**But I'll believe that you believe it**

Well, I know for a fact that no one blames you.

Cause we all said it.

There's a group chat to prove it.

**Really?**

**But I did so many things wrong**

You're a werewolf, but you're also human. Mistakes happen.

I think my entire life has proved that.

**That's probably a good way to look at things**

Yeah!

And we talk about your chest hair.

If you were curious.

But mostly homework.

**what.**

What?

**You talk about my chest hair**

We. As a group.

**You, the pack, talk about my chest hair**

Doesn't matter if I start the conversation or not.

_Why_?

I don't know. I like your chest hair.

**...you do know it's mutual?**

**Not the chest hair thing**

**The liking thing**

You like me but not my chest hair?

That's not nice, Derek.

I accept all of you.

**Your chest hair's fine, Stiles**

**But it's not your best feature**

Your best feature is your smile.

Well, your whole face.

And body.

**I can never decide if yours is your eyes, your hands, or your mouth**

Oh, tough choice.

My hands and mouth can be used for fun stuff.... my eyes, not so much.

Unless you're super kinky, but I'd rather not lose an eye.

**what. no.**

**They shine gold in the sunlight sometimes**

You're exaggerating.

**I'm really not**

**It almost looks like you're a 'wolf**

I could be.

**I thought you didn't want the bite?**

I'm on the fence.

I mean, I know I can help the way that I am.

But sometimes I don't think it's enough.

**You're enough, Stiles, I promise**

**You'd be a magnificent wolf, but you're an amazing human, too**

If I asked...

**I wouldn't tell you no, but I'm fairly sure Scott would need some heavy-duty persuasion**

But he wouldn't turn it down if it was two against one, Alpha or not.

**I...I'd support you, Stiles, but making him bite you like that doesn't sit well with me**

**The bite is a gift that should be given freely**

**Even though you're already pack, it's...special**

But I would ask for it...

I think I proved myself pretty fucking worthy of 'the bite'.

**It's not about worthiness, Stiles**

**If it was, you'd have been the first beta I bit**

Then what is it about?

**So much of it is instinct that it's not easy to put into words...**

**Consent, obviously**

**At the time you didn't want it**

**But also...**

**Family, and pack**

**(which isn't Scott's issue right now, obviously)**

**Authority?**

**Like, an instinct to protect and shelter them**

**and lead them**

So, what? I wouldn't have any of that?

**And looking for people who would follow and support you**

**Tell me honestly, Stiles - do you think you could ever just do what Scott says?**

I do what he says!

I just go about my own way of doing it.

And end up with different results than the desired outcome.

**Scott's your friend and your family and your pack, but he's not your alpha, Stiles**

**You're not made to be a beta**

Right.

I'm super Alpha material.

**I'd follow you**

Derek, that was sarcasm.

I would be a terrible Alpha.

**No worse than me**

You were a... decent Alpha.

Better than Peter.

And those other psychos.

**It's not actually possible to be worse**

**I don't actually think you should be an alpha**

You just want me to be your leader.

Which is a big boost to my ego.

**How many times have your plans gotten me out of trouble that my own plans got me into?**

Too many to count.

**As a human Second, or as an emissary, you're perfect for the pack**

**You can tell us when we're being idiots, and come up with ideas we haven't, and do things we can't**

**If you want the bite, I'll support you, but I don't think you'll be better for the pack as a wolf**

Ugh. Fine.

I'll be a boring human.

And do boring human things.

And pine for you from afar like the loser I am.

**I don't think anyone who's ever met you could call you boring**

I'm boring compared to werewolves and banshees and kitsune.

**You're magic**

**And I think 'who' matters more than 'what'**

Your face is magic.

You're just trying to make me feel better.

And it's working.

**Seriously, though - do you know how rare it is to be able to make a strong mountain ash barrier?**

**I'm glad**

Yeah, yeah. Deaton's told me.

It was just a barrier.

**On your first try**

**Do you remember Scott's first howl?**

**Give yourself some credit**

Seriously? My cheesy pep talk deserves 'credit'?

Look

I'm not trying to fish for compliments.

**If you were, I wouldn't be giving them to you**

**And I thought I told you, it's mutual liking**

You're teasing me.

There's no way a guy like you could like a guy like me.

**Stiles, I am being one hundred percent sincere: I like you back.**

**You're brilliant, Stiles**

**You're amazing and wonderful and beautiful and you _keep coming back_**

You've got me blushing.

**Good. I like your blushes.**

And you don't give yourself enough credit, either.

You're a good mentor, a good brother, a great friend. Yeah, maybe you're not an Alpha, but you've helped shape Scott into what he is today.

You're smart and funny and a massive dork.

**And I've got a pretty face?**

The prettiest!

**I beg to differ**

Beg and differ all you want, but I'm right.

**There's this guy I know with moon-pale skin and moles dotted over it like constellations. He's got an upturned nose and a mouth that looks like kisses, and sometimes his eyes shine like liquid gold.**

**I'm fairly sure he's got the prettiest face**

He sounds like a nerd.

But there's this guy, built like a house, but cuddly as a teddy bear that tries to act all grumpy, but we all know he's really just a dork with an amazing smile and great hair.

**You'd think so, but when he talks it's like a window into knowing absolutely everything, and he makes you realise things are interesting that you never thought about before, and he's so smart that sometimes it takes my breath away.**

**He sounds pretty boring**

Sounds like a know-it-all and he probably takes your breath away because he sucks all the oxygen up in the room so he can talk.

And, he's not boring. Like I said, he's smart, not just about werewolf stuff, but things in general. He loves to read and research as much as I do and we could probably spend hours in a library together and be the happiest two people in the world.

**I don't think I'd notice if he used up all the air because I'd be so busy looking at him**

Well, the next time you look at him, maybe you should kiss him.

**If you think I should, then maybe I will.**

Yep, I do think you should.

Maybe some butt grabbing, too.

**He does have a nice butt...**

**Do you think it would be mutual kissing and butt grabbing?**

It would most definitely be mutual.

Because if there is one thing he wants, it's to touch your butt and kiss you.

**I'd never have guessed**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks to my delightful collaborator for Stiles.
> 
> I hope you guys enjoyed it!
> 
> (And, once again, I'm capping this work. Sterek RPs, Part 3, will be up tomorrow-ish.)


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